[Missing] ④ To be a'companion' animal beyond abandonment and pet

If the age of 15 million companion animals is light, 950,000 abandoned animals (total of 10 years) are shade.

The SBS Data Journalism Team [Morning Stance] tried to analyze the current status of abandoned animals in 2020 through various data and to find out how to live together in the future.

That's the last one.

In a spacious and clean room with a terrace, you can enter the room only after thorough identification and disinfection, and it has an operating room where 15 staff members, including 3 veterinarians, care for animals at any time and provide simple treatment.

It is a Jeju Organic Animal Conservation Center located in the mountainous area of ​​Jeju.

The centers in Jeju City and Seogwipo City have been merged into one and have been operated directly in Jeju Island since 2010.

Among the various animal conservation centers that [Muscles] visited during this interview, the Jeju Center was outstanding in any aspect, such as facilities, manpower, and budget.

"Wow, compared to other places, it's like a 5-star hotel."

I was so admirable.

However, the reaction from the team leader was unexpected.

Go Jin-ah, head of the Jeju Center Animal Conservation Team, said, "The budget is more abundant than other private centers, but it is as difficult as other places." Explained.

The problem was that there were more abandoned animals than they could afford.

According to data from the animal protection management system analyzed by [Merman], the number of abandoned animals in Jeju from 205 in 2010 reached 7,307 in 2019.

It has exploded 36 times in 10 years.

During the same period, the total number of abandoned animals doubled from 62,801 in 2010 to 13,515 in 2019, which is an overwhelming increase.

The number of animals that the Jeju Center can manage at an appropriate level is about 300.

Last year alone, there were 24 times more abandoned animals that could be handled.

After all, the Jeju Center is currently protecting 500 animals, which is 1.7 times the number of appropriate management.

Even with the facilities of a '5-star hotel' and a relatively large budget, it is inevitable.

This is not only a problem in Jeju.

As of October 2020, there are officially 30,000 abandoned animals protected by 339 animal protection centers nationwide (actually less than this), but more than 100,000 have been rescued by September this year.

The amount that can be accommodated has already been abandoned until the protection center has been increased to three times the size of the present.

Animal rights organizations say that there are no fundamental measures to solve the problem of abandoned animals.

It is to eradicate the'pet shop' culture of buying and selling companion animals like goods.

As its name suggests,'Pet Shop' is a shop that buys and sells animals.

The animals sold here go through breeding grounds and auction houses first, then displayed as'goods' in stores, and then go to consumers through transactions.

It is no different from industrial products that you can buy and sell whenever you want, and throw away when the utility is exhausted.

It is close to a pet meaning'love and play with'.

It is different from a companion who means'to live together'.

A conservation center in Naju, Jeollanam-do, covered by [The Horseman], was operating a shelter, breeding ground, and animal auction house on one site.

One side rescues and protects abandoned animals, while the other side is carrying out the production and sale of babies.

An official from this center said, "I have been doing this since 2012," and argued that "I don't want to do the protection center, but I have no one to do so, so I keep doing it."

When asked if it was to sell after rescued abandoned animals, he replied, "The animals that are auctioned come from the production farm," and "it makes no sense to auction because organic animals are almost mixed."

Naju City side said, "The protection center and the auction house operator are also different, and it is not a violation of the current law."

According to the analysis, out of the 94,07098 abandoned animals that occurred in the last 10 years, only 290,164, 30.6% were adopted.

Until June of this year, it is a third of 30.3%.

From 2013 to 2018, it remained in the 30% range, but last year the adoption rate fell back to 29.5%.

Se-Hyun Kim, director of Beagle Rescue Network, a non-profit organization that focuses on rescue and protection of abandoned animals, said, "It is necessary to prohibit the sale of companion animals by law. It will be taken for granted to adopt,” he argued.

Kim emphasized that doing so could lead to a shift in the perception that pets are adopted from a protection center rather than buying them at a pet shop and discarding them as unnecessary.

Prior to eradicating the'pet shop' culture, measures that can be taken immediately are already available.

First, the current animal registration system is further strengthened.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs decided not to allow the identification tag, which was one of the animal registration methods, from next year.

This is because it can be easily lost or damaged.

A local animal protection center official said, "Even if there is an identification tag or an external identification device on the neck of an organic animal, remove it and throw it away," he said. "In the long term, it is necessary to unify the animal registration method with an internal wireless identification device."

A plan to expand the range of animals subject to registration, which is currently limited to'dogs' over 2 months of age, is also discussed.

This is because cats, which account for 27% of abandoned animals, are not eligible for registration.

Seoul, Gyeonggi and Sejong City are currently conducting pilot projects that include cats as registered animals.

It is also necessary to strengthen penalties when abandoning animals or not registering animals subject to registration.

Currently, the Animal Protection Act requires a fine of less than 3 million won to be imposed.

Kim Min-gyeong, an activist of the Animal Freedom Association, said, "I have hardly seen a penalty on the spot for not registering or for abandoning animals," and said, "From next year, the law changed to allow fines for abandonment of animals is applied. I'm looking forward to it."

: Shim Young-gu, Bae Hoon, Ahn Hye-

min

: Ahn Joon-suk

: Kim Ji-yeon, Lee Ki-eun

▶ [

Scars

] Please take care of 2020 abandoned animals-①

950,000'children

' we discarded ▶ [

Smash

] ② Half die...

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