The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 7th that it is promoting a bonding trip with dogs to encourage the adoption of lost and abandoned animals. This program is designed to commemorate the first Animal Protection Day, aiming to spread a healthy pet culture.
The event will be held in collaboration with Gyeongju City, which has been selected by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as the pet-friendly tourism city for 2025. Participants will pair up with five prospective companion dogs currently sheltered at the Gyeongju Animal Protection Center (Gyeongju Animal Love Center) to experience the Bomun Tourist Complex area together.
Participants will visit restaurants, hotels, and cafes that allow pets, and engage in experiential programs such as walking missions and pet fitness to build rapport with prospective dogs. This bonding trip is designed for a one-on-one interaction between prospective adopters and sheltered dogs.
Participation is limited to a maximum of two people per family, and applications will be accepted on a dedicated platform from August 8 to 25. Detailed information is available on the ‘Animal Love Education Center’ website.
Final participants will be announced after a screening process on August 27. The selected families will embark on a bonding trip with prospective pets on September 6, after which they will decide on the actual adoption.
Park Jeong-hoon, Director of Animal Welfare and Environment Policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, stated, “We hope this event will raise positive awareness about the adoption of abandoned animals and draw public interest.” He added, “We also plan to expand interaction opportunities with local government shelters at the first Animal Protection Day event, which will be held at Busan BEXCO from September 26 to 27.”
