Free canine hotels: Gangnam District's answer to Chuseok pet separation anxiety
When millions of Koreans take to the highways for Chuseok, the nation's autumn harvest festival — returning to their ancestral hometowns to perform traditional rites and share elaborate feasts with family — they typically face three major anxieties: gridlocked traffic, probing questions from relatives and deciding what to do with the dog. For residents of Gangnam District, the popular upscale…
As millions of Koreans travel for the Chuseok harvest festival, they often struggle with traffic, family questions, and caring for their dogs. In the upscale Gangnam district, the city government plans to address the pet separation anxiety faced by many residents. Starting September 23 and ending October 5, the district will provide free five-day lodging for up to 50 dogs at a canine care shelter.
Gangnam is the Seoul district with the highest concentration of registered pets, totaling around 47,000. With declining birthrates in Korea, pet ownership has risen dramatically, effectively turning dogs into surrogate children for many city dwellers. During major holidays, as Seoulites migrate to their ancestral hometowns, the sudden absence of their canine companions can cause significant stress and separation anxiety.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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