[KoreanDogs] Fw: Seoul's new rules on pets in apartments spark debate

[Guest guest]

--- wolfman <wolfman wrote:

 

Seoul's new rules on pets in apartments spark debate

 

Following the Seoul Metropolitan Government's

announcement of new, revised rules requiring Seoul

apartment residents to get permission from neighbors

before they can keep an animal, citizens are engaged

in hot debate over the policy.

The revision, which the city government drew up on the

basis of a new guideline from the Ministry of

Construction and Transportation, was announced last

week.

Under the new rules, a pet owner must get approval

from more than half of the residents living in the

same block or on the same floor of his or her

building.

The rules also say that if a pet causes a disruption,

the owner is liable for fines that the other residents

can set. The fines would be imposed after the pet

owner fails to comply with two warnings from the

building's management.

The rules were welcomed by some apartment dwellers.

" Now those who have felt stressed because of pets in

neighboring apartments can be protected, " said an

Internet user in a message posted on the bulletin

board of the Seoul city government's Web site.

But others were critical of the policy. " The fine for

the noise from a pet could be as high as 5 million won

($4,250), " said Ahn Jeong-hyeon, an apartment dweller

in Seoul. " If we cannot afford the fine, do I have to

move to a different place, or do I have to get rid of

my pet? "

Animal rights activists also criticized the new rules.

" Keeping pets in apartments was identified as harmful

to the living environment, " said a spokesman for

Animal Freedom Korea. " That is a policy that

discriminates against people who do not live in

individual houses, and one that also infringes on

basic rights. "

But a Seoul city government official said, " The policy

was only meant as a reference for apartment residents

to consult when they revise their regulations. " The

official added, " Rules on keeping pets in apartments

can only be revised when more than half of the

apartment's residents agree to the change in writing. "

 

 

 

by Jung Hyung-mo, Lee Chul-jae

 

 

 

2004.02.29

 

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200402/29/200402292225510709900090409041.html

 

 

=====

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