Enlarging an image
"There are complaints about facilities that are not permitted in the park, and we would like to discuss it before, so please contact the park management office after reading this guide."
Recently, a notice was posted on a tree in Hyochang Park in Yongsan-gu, revealing the conflicts caused by stray cats.
It is a conflict between the so-called 'cat moms' who bring food bowls and food to feed the stray cats, and the residents who say that the park is being damaged and that all related objects must be removed.
The Parks and Greenery Department of Yongsan-gu Office has received 20 complaints about stray cats in Hyochang Park this year alone.
It is said that it started with the recent verification that online communities and blog users had submitted complaints to the ward office to 'remove the stray cat's food bowl'.
Some netizens are not hiding their displeasure towards stray cats by posting posts calling them hateful expressions.
However, the cat moms did not give in to this and continued to install the rice bowls, while filing complaints against the ward office, the conflict between the two sides running parallel to each other.
A netizen who introduced himself as a resident of Yongsan-gu uploaded a story on the Internet that he was accused of property damage by a cat mom who had installed a feral cat food service facility installed in the park and then posted on the Internet, "It is more difficult for the state-designated cultural property to be damaged and neglected like this. can't watch," he said.
It is argued that Hyochang Park, where patriots such as Baek Beom Kim Gu are sleeping, is designated as Historic Site No. 330, should be managed more strictly.
Enlarging an image
On the other hand, Lee Mo (62), a cat mom and representative of the abandoned animal shelter in Yongsan-gu, said today (3rd), "Cat moms have been under tremendous stress since the controversy started earlier this year." "We are my money, my time." I am trying to save even one of the cats while writing this,” he countered.
The ward office clears out the rice bowls whenever related complaints come in, but it seems that both sides are confused.
The management office said that in October of last year, the first cat moms removed the cat house and rice bowl installed in the park.
Since then, the cat house has not been built again, but it is said that about 10 to 15 rice bowls are being retrieved every month.
However, an official from a management office said, "If there are animals that damage statues, there has never been any damage to the facility because of pigeons, cats, or cat moms."
Shin Mo (29), an office worker living nearby, said, "It is detrimental to the residents to waste energy due to repeated conflicts and complaints like this. And what if we give them responsibility?” he said.
In fact, according to Article 21 (4) of the Seoul Animal Protection Ordinance, the mayor or the mayor of a gu may install a food service facility for feral cats in small parks and neighborhood parks for the purpose of effectively controlling the number of feral cats and creating a pleasant urban environment.
Hyochang Park is a neighborhood park, so it is possible to install a food service station.
Lee Hyeong-joo, CEO of Animal Welfare Research Institute 'Aware', said, "Hyochang Park is adjacent to other areas with a lot of stray cats, so cats do not disappear just because feeding is prohibited. It could be,” he said.