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Busan Metropolitan City Operates Voluntary Animal Registration Reporting Period… Penalties for Non-Registration and Late Reporting Waived for Participants

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□ Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Chun Jae-soo, announced that it will operate the second voluntary pet registration reporting period of 2026 from today, September 1, through October 31 to encourage voluntary participation by citizens who have not registered their dogs.

□ During the voluntary reporting period, owners who newly register their pets or report changes to existing registration information, such as changes in owner information or the loss of a registered animal, will be exempt from fines for non-registration or late reporting.

○ Under the current Animal Protection Act, dogs aged two months or older that are kept in a house or quasi-residential building or raised as companion animals are subject to mandatory animal registration. They must be registered within 30 days from the date the owner acquires ownership of the animal or from the date the animal becomes subject to mandatory registration. Cats may be registered at the owner’s discretion.

□ Animal registration can be completed by visiting a veterinary clinic or other entity designated by the relevant district or county as an animal registration agency.

○ Owners may choose between an implanted method, in which a microchip is inserted under the animal’s skin, and an external method, in which an identification device is attached to a collar. However, because an external device may be lost or damaged, the implanted method, which does not pose such risks, is recommended.

□ If a registered animal is lost, the loss must be reported within 10 days. Changes must be reported within 30 days in cases including a change of owner; a change in the owner’s name, address, or telephone number; the death of a registered animal; the recovery of a previously lost animal; or the need to reissue an external identification device.

○ Changes can also be reported online through the Animal Protection Information System at https://www.animal.go.kr or Government24 at https://www.gov.kr. However, in cases involving a change of owner or a legal name change by the owner, the owner must bring the animal registration certificate and visit the district or county office with jurisdiction over the owner’s address to file the report.

□ Beginning this year, Busan Metropolitan City has been implementing an implanted animal registration support program in nine districts and counties, providing KRW 30,000 per animal to promote animal registration. Starting next year, the program is scheduled to expand to 12 districts and counties with the cooperation of the Busan Veterinary Medical Association.

○ The implanted animal registration support program, launched for the first time this year, is available in nine districts and counties: Jung-gu, Seo-gu, Dong-gu, Busanjin-gu, Dongnae-gu, Haeundae-gu, Geumjeong-gu, Sasang-gu, and Gijang-gun.

○ Dog owners, as well as cat owners who wish to participate, may receive a KRW 30,000 subsidy per animal toward the registration fee when they complete implanted animal registration at a veterinary clinic designated by the district or county office with jurisdiction over the address listed on their resident registration record in one of the nine participating districts and counties. The subsidy also applies when changing an animal’s registration method from an external device to an implanted microchip. Information on designated veterinary clinics and other details is available from the animal protection department of the relevant district or county.

□ After the voluntary reporting period ends, intensive enforcement will begin in November targeting dog owners who have not registered their animals and owners who have failed to report required changes.

○ For the entire month of November following the end of the voluntary reporting period, extensive enforcement will be carried out regarding animal registration, required reports of changes to registration information, and other pet etiquette requirements, including the use of leashes and identification tags.

○ Fines for failure to register an animal are KRW 200,000 for a first violation, KRW 400,000 for a second violation, and KRW 600,000 for a third violation. Fines for failure to report required changes are KRW 100,000 for a first violation, KRW 200,000 for a second violation, and KRW 400,000 for a third violation.

□ Kim Chang-deok, Director-General of the Green City Bureau at Busan Metropolitan City, said, “Animal registration is a safeguard for protecting our cherished companion animals and a legal obligation that owners must comply with. We encourage owners of unregistered dogs to actively participate in animal registration during the voluntary reporting period, preferably using an implanted microchip. We also ask dog owners to observe pet etiquette requirements when taking their dogs outside, including keeping them on a leash no longer than two meters and cleaning up after them.”