Tighter Animal Protection Laws

As of next year, owners who do not fit dogs that go outdoors with identification tags face fines of up to 200,000 won. Pet owners should also register their dogs with local city or provincial authorities.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on Sunday announced the legalization of a revised animal protection law that goes into effect on January 27, 2008.

Under the revised law, local municipal and provincial authorities make pet registration mandatory and will impose fines of up to 300,000 won unless pet owners register their dogs with their district offices. The new law is aimed to make people more responsible for their pets and prevent inhumane treatment, the government said. According to the law, the mayors and governors can impose up to 300,000 won of fines on dog owners who do not register their dogs to protect dogs from abandonment.

Pet owners should submit a fee and a registration form to local authorities to receive their registration number. The ministry said regional governments hold the right to determine the registration fee. The animals for the registration are limited to only pet dogs, but if the measures are found to be effective, pet cats are expected to be included to the law.

Even in the region that the registration system is not put in force, pet owners must fit their dogs with a tag that has the owner’s name, address and phone number on it, and fasten their dogs with dog collars when they go outside with their dogs. Any failure to comply with these regulations could mean fines reaching 200,000 won and 100,000 won, respectively.

Children aged less than 14 years may not hold onto dog collars, and ferocious dogs are required to have dog muzzle and collars.

Pet owners must also immediately clean up the droppings of their animals to avoid paying fines of up to 100,000 won. The law says that dog owners who do not regularly vaccinate their pets will be fined up to 300,000 won.

The rules preventing the abuse of all animals have also been strengthened. People abandoning dogs that are protected under the new law face fines of up to 500,000 won.

imsoo@donga.com