Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will provide financial support for neutering surgeries to facilitate the effective implementation of the “Aggressive Dog Ownership Permit System,” which aims to enhance safety management of companion animals.
Following the recent amendment to the Animal Protection Act, the aggressive dog permit system has been enforced. However, due to financial burdens, dog owners have been reluctant to comply, resulting in a very low number of permit applications.
Under the amended law, individuals who newly acquire ownership of an aggressive dog must apply for a permit and complete a temperament test within three months of acquiring ownership. Existing owners of aggressive dogs must meet the requirements and apply for the permit, including undergoing a temperament test, by October 26, 2025.
However, as the average cost of neutering surgery reaches approximately KRW 500,000 and the temperament test costs KRW 250,000, the financial burden of obtaining the permit remains significant. As a result, dog owners continue to resist the new requirement.
To ease the financial burden on dog owners, the city will subsidize part of the cost associated with neutering surgery, which is one of the requirements for obtaining the permit.
Eligible applicants must be residents who are officially registered in Busan and have neutered their aggressive dog(s) on or after April 26, 2022, the date when the new regulations for the aggressive dog permit system were introduced in the Animal Protection Act.
Applicants must complete the necessary permit requirements, such as registering the animal and purchasing liability insurance. When submitting their permit application in person, they must also submit the required documents related to the neutering surgery along with the subsidy application form. The documents should be submitted to the Companion Animal Division on the 24th floor of Busan City Hall (1001 Jungang-daero, Yeonje-gu, Busan).
The subsidy will cover 90% of the neutering cost, with the owner's co-payment being 10%, up to a limit of KRW 450,000. Applicants who do not apply for the aggressive dog ownership permit are not eligible for the subsidy.
Ahn Cheol-soo, Director General of the Green City Bureau, stated, “The active interest and cooperation of aggressive dog owners are essential to ensure the stable implementation of the permit system, which aims to create a safe social environment for both people and animals.” He added, “We have secured the budget for neutering surgery support through this year’s supplementary budget and hope that dog owners will actively apply for the permit to help vitalize the system.”
For more detailed information on the aggressive dog ownership permit system and the neutering surgery subsidy, please visit the city’s civil affairs manual at: www.busan.go.kr/minwon/manual/1675171.
This content has been translated by AI. Please refer to the attached original Korean version for accuracy if needed.
Translated by AI
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