Jeju Special Self-Governing Province announced that animals can be registered in all areas of Jeju Province since January 2018 when the pilot animal registration project for cats was first promoted, and it the only province in the nation to exempt the registration fee (20,000 won) to encourage more registrations.
Provincial residents who are cat owners can register at 52 animal registration agencies (41 in Jeju, 11 in Seogwipo) using built-in wireless identification devices (microchips).
Animal registration was extended to cats due to the increase in the number of lost and abandoned cats and the low rate of their return to owners. The measure seeks to boost the return rate and reducing the number of stray cats to prevent them from becoming a public health threat.
While both built-in and external wireless identification devices are possible options when registering dogs, only built-in devices (microchips) are allowed for cats. As cats lick their bodies frequently, their behavioral characteristics were considered to pose a high risk of loss or damage.
“Currently, the participation rate is low because cat owners are registering voluntarily, and many people are not even aware of the registration system,” said Director Jeon Byeong-hwa of Food and Agriculture Administration, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. “As Jeju is offering the registration for free, we request your attention and participation in registering your cats in addition to dogs. ” |