[청솔뉴스=윤석성 기자] As the number of people raising pets reaches 15 million, interest in the healing that occurs through interaction between pets and humans is also increasing. Goyang City, where approximately 20% of the population (230,000 people) have companion animals, is taking the lead in animal-friendly policies through the Animal Communication Healing Cultural Festival and the expansion of space for companion animals.
The Animal Sympathy Healing Cultural Festival, where people and animals communicate together, will be held in Goyang City on the 26th. To establish a mature pet culture, the Animal Communication Healing Cultural Festival, held for the second time this year, will be held at Ilsan Culture Plaza along with the ‘2024 Pets Run’.
The event program runs from 10:00 to 17:00. We offer a variety of animal communication healing programs, including animal communication activities with reptiles, aromatherapy to create a mental and physical stability roller, reading books with a reading education assistance dog (reading dog), and a healing walk experience with a companion animal. Pet food making, pet soap making, dog memory jewelry making, dog etiquette training, hygiene and grooming, and fitness experiences are also available.
On the lawn, a mini sports event for dogs is held, including jumping over labacones and jumping over hurdles. You can also experience agility demonstrations where you pass various obstacles with your pet, an OX quiz, and a wait-and-see event.
In addition, we also provide 1:1 consultations with veterinarians to answer any questions you may have about your pet’s health and behavior. There will also be a busking concert to get you excited and a flea market selling pet items. In the campaign zone, a campaign booth for adopting abandoned dogs and stray cats will be operated, and a photo zone will also be set up.
Goyang City is establishing an institutional foundation to create space for pets and is increasing the installation of dog playgrounds. Goyang City currently operates two customized cultural complexes and four dog playgrounds.
The dog playground operated in Deoksu Park is a hidden attraction for pet owners, visited by approximately 20,000 people annually. A manager is present to manage the playground, and it is receiving a great response, with 99% of users responding ‘satisfied’ in a 2021 user satisfaction survey. Recently, it is evolving into a customized cultural complex with temperament evaluations and outdoor events taking place.
Ilsanseo-gu Pet Park opened in Daehwa-dong last May with an area of 16,530 m2 (approximately 5,000 pyeong). Inside, an animal communication healing center has been set up, and pet culture classes and educational programs to spread awareness of animal communication healing are actively underway.
Last year, the city revised its animal welfare ordinance to specify the definition of a dog playground and prepared the basis for creating a pet space. In May, the ordinance on city parks and green spaces was revised to relax the standards for installing dog playgrounds from 100,000 m2 in neighborhood parks to over 30,000 m2, and allow dog playgrounds to be installed in cultural parks and sports parks as well.
In addition, the plan is to build three dog playgrounds in consultation with LH in the neighborhood and sports park in Changneung New Town, which will be built in the future, and to create a theme park as a specialized, customized cultural complex reflecting the opinions of residents and experts.
Goyang City is promoting the hosting of the National Animal Sympathy Healing Park as a pledge project for the 8th popular election. Animal communicative healing is an activity that obtains emotional effects through communication between people and animals. It has a positive effect on mental health and is used in medical, welfare, and rehabilitation fields. Demand has been growing rapidly recently as the number of single-person households, the elderly population, and the population raising companion animals increases.
Goyang City is the first local government in Gyeonggi Province to establish a directly managed animal protection center in 2014, and has the second largest number of registered animals (88,468) in Gyeonggi Province. Last year, in order to revitalize animal-assisted healing, we laid the foundation for revitalizing animal-assisted healing by holding animal-assisted psychotherapy cultural festivals and academic festivals with the Korean Society of Animal-Mediated Psychotherapy and operating healing education.
Last August, the city began a research service to establish a basic plan for hosting the National Animal Communication and Healing Park, reviewing demand and necessity and analyzing the suitability for establishment. We will prepare an animal communication healing park model and operation plan and review ways to connect the animal industry and education.
The Goyang Research Institute plans to take charge of the project and complete it by early next year to prepare the basis for the creation of the National Companion Animal Sympathy and Healing Park and propose it to the government. In addition, based on the research results, it is expected that Goyang City’s unique animal communication healing service will be introduced and utilized in the operation of institutions and programs to establish a standard model for revitalizing companion animal policies.
Goyang Special Mayor Lee Dong-hwan said, “As the number of people raising pets is increasing, we are laying the foundation for a mature companion animal coexistence culture where pets live in harmony and communicate with each other by holding an animal communication healing cultural festival, revising ordinances, and expanding companion animal space.” He added, “An animal communication healing model.” “We will create a healthy city where people and animals coexist by preparing and promoting the attraction of the National Animal Communication and Healing Park,” he said.
