[Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs]
As of last year, the total number of registered pets in South Korea surpassed 3.67 million. With the increase in pet ownership, the number of related businesses, such as grooming and burial services, has also risen.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs released these findings on June 29 as part of its "2025 Animal Protection and Welfare Survey Results," available on its website and the National Animal Protection Information System. The ministry conducts annual surveys under the Animal Protection Act, covering topics such as pet registration status, animal rescue and treatment, pet business status, and the status of animal protection officers and honorary animal protection officers.
Last year, 247,000 new dogs and cats were registered, a 4.9% decrease from the previous year. The cumulative number of registered pets increased by 5.3% compared to the previous year, reaching 3.676 million.
In terms of species, dogs outnumbered cats. Last year, 231,000 dogs were newly registered, significantly exceeding the 16,000 new cat registrations. This discrepancy is partly due to the fact that dog registration is mandatory, while cat registration is not.
The number of rescues for lost and abandoned animals (including dogs, cats, rabbits, and chickens) decreased by 10.4% to 96,000 compared to the previous year. Over the past five years, the number of rescued animals has shown a declining trend: 118,000 in 2021, 113,000 in 2022, 113,000 in 2023, 107,000 in 2024, and 96,000 in 2025.
As pet ownership rises, the number of related businesses is also increasing. The number of pet businesses and employees grew by 3.5% and 3.8%, respectively, reaching 24,384 establishments and 30,426 workers. The breakdown by industry shows that grooming services accounted for 44.5%, pet sitting services for 23.8%, and sales for 11.4%. While the number of businesses in transportation, burial, and grooming has increased, those in import, sales, and production have declined.
Kim Dong-il, head of the Animal Protection Division at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, stated, "As pet ownership increases, interest in animal welfare is expanding daily. We will continue to provide relevant information and work on policy development and system improvements to foster a mature animal welfare culture."
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs released these findings on June 29 as part of its "2025 Animal Protection and Welfare Survey Results," available on its website and the National Animal Protection Information System. The ministry conducts annual surveys under the Animal Protection Act, covering topics such as pet registration status, animal rescue and treatment, pet business status, and the status of animal protection officers and honorary animal protection officers.
Last year, 247,000 new dogs and cats were registered, a 4.9% decrease from the previous year. The cumulative number of registered pets increased by 5.3% compared to the previous year, reaching 3.676 million.
In terms of species, dogs outnumbered cats. Last year, 231,000 dogs were newly registered, significantly exceeding the 16,000 new cat registrations. This discrepancy is partly due to the fact that dog registration is mandatory, while cat registration is not.
The number of rescues for lost and abandoned animals (including dogs, cats, rabbits, and chickens) decreased by 10.4% to 96,000 compared to the previous year. Over the past five years, the number of rescued animals has shown a declining trend: 118,000 in 2021, 113,000 in 2022, 113,000 in 2023, 107,000 in 2024, and 96,000 in 2025.
As pet ownership rises, the number of related businesses is also increasing. The number of pet businesses and employees grew by 3.5% and 3.8%, respectively, reaching 24,384 establishments and 30,426 workers. The breakdown by industry shows that grooming services accounted for 44.5%, pet sitting services for 23.8%, and sales for 11.4%. While the number of businesses in transportation, burial, and grooming has increased, those in import, sales, and production have declined.
Kim Dong-il, head of the Animal Protection Division at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, stated, "As pet ownership increases, interest in animal welfare is expanding daily. We will continue to provide relevant information and work on policy development and system improvements to foster a mature animal welfare culture."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.