A promotional poster for the "Twenty Family Puppies" public adoption campaign. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
A promotional poster for the "Twenty Family Puppies" public adoption campaign. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Sunday that it rescued 33 puppies, approximately 1 to 2 years old, from poor living conditions on July 28 and is now seeking adoptive families for 20 of them. The dogs are currently being cared for at the Seoul Metropolitan Animal Welfare Support Center's Mapo and Dongdaemun locations.

The city, local district offices and animal protection groups jointly rescued the puppies. After receiving baths and grooming, the dogs were transferred to veterinary facilities for health checkups, treatment and spaying or neutering.

The city gave each rescued dog a name meaning "family" in one of 20 languages — among them "Ohana" from Hawaiian, "Famille" from French and "Aile" from Turkish. The adoption campaign was launched in the hope that the dogs, which have endured difficult lives, will find permanent families.

The puppies are gentle and friendly toward people, but because they spent their time in a cramped space with many other dogs and had limited opportunity to move around, they need a variety of activities to build muscle strength.

The dogs received disease screenings and were spayed or neutered immediately after rescue. Veterinarians checked thoroughly for conditions that can arise from poor environments, including malnutrition, skin disease and infectious illness. All are now in good health and ready for adoption. Center staff are also conducting socialization training — including housebreaking, leash walking and basic obedience — to help the dogs adjust quickly to home life.

Before the "Twenty Family Puppies" campaign, the city ran a similar drive last month called "Twelve-Month Cats," seeking homes for 12 rescued cats. That campaign drew strong public interest, and many of the cats found new families.

Adoption applications can be submitted through the Seoul Metropolitan Animal Welfare Support Center's adoption platform, Poinhand. Detailed information on each dog's traits and personality is available on the platform and the center's website, as well as on the Garden City Seoul SNS channels.

Prospective adopters must complete a pre-adoption education session before proceeding with the adoption process. For three months after adoption, they are required to share regular updates on their pet's adjustment and daily life.

The city said it plans to continue actively rescuing animals in need and supporting their path to finding families through treatment and socialization training.

"Having received new names that mean 'family' in languages from around the world, I hope they meet their precious families and share a happy everyday life together — like a journey," said Kim Yeong-hwan, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Garden City Bureau.


ikson@heraldcorp.com