Governor Kim Opens Service Dog Center for the First Time in the Nation
(Published March 13, 2013)

Service Dog Center Opened at Eco-Farm Land on March 13
10 abandoned dogs admitted as the first selection

◇ Governor Kim participating in the opening ceremony of Service Dog Sharing Center is looking at the service dog for the blind on March 13. ⓒ G-News Plus / Heo Seon-ryang
 
Gyeonggi Province starts the project of training and supplying service dogs abandoned in the street for free for the first time in the nation.
 
The province held the opening ceremony of ‘Gyeonggi Service Dog Sharing Center’ at Eco-Farm Land located in SSangsong-ri, Mado-myeon, Hwaseong City on March 13 at 11 AM, holding entrance ceremony of the first selected 10 abandoned dogs to the service dog training school.
 
About 200 figures participated in the ceremony including Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo, Hwaseong City Major, head of Animal Quarantine and Sanitation Department Seo Sang-kyo, Korea Service Dog Association chief Lee Hyung-ku, secretary-general of Korean Veterinary Medical Association, Cheonam Yonam College University professor Lee Woong-jong, head of Jeju Agricultural and Livestock Product department Go Bok-su, head of CARE(Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth) Park So-hyun, and other figures from animal protection groups and associations of the disabled.
 
The ceremony went on by briefing on the progress of the project by Seo Sang-kyo, a head of Animal Quarantine and Sanitation Department, awarding the official commendation and appreciation plaques to the men of merits, awarding the plaques of appointment to honorary ambassadors for animal protection, greeting and giving a congratulatory address by the governor, showing demonstrations by trained dogs, holding entrance ceremony of the selected dogs, and showing indoor demonstrations in order.

For the awards, Kim Jong-in, a chief of Korea Rural Community Corporation won commendation for his dedications, and appreciation plaques went to 2 persons including Cho Yong-jae, a president of Yuchang Construction Co.. Also, Actress Kim Hyo-jin, who played an impressive role in the movie <The Taste of Money> was appointed as honorary ambassador.
 
“I am pleased that Service Dog Sharing Center was established for the first time in Gyeonggi Province. I hope Koreans love animals more than ever. I am very sad that even young puppies are abandoned,” said Kim Hyo-jin. “I hope heart of people and animals are healed and become happy through love. Pet owners should have a sense of responsibility. If they are not confident to keep their pets to the end, they should not raise pets at first. I hope people pay more attention to abandoned animals and animal protection.” She added.
 ◇ Kim Jong-in, head of Korea Rural Community Corporation, who won commendation by governor, Governor Kim, and Actress Kim Hyo-jin takes a commemorative photo. ⓒ G-News Plus / Heo Seon-ryang◇ Kim Hyo-jin appointed as honorary ambassador this day ⓒ G-News Plus / Heo Seon-ryang
 
Service Dog Sharing Center will select and train potential service dogs from the abandoned dogs protected by 30 shelters of abandoned dogs in Gyeonggi Province. A total of 4 workers including a head, 1 training specialist, and 2 assistants work at the sharing center, and the maximum capacity of the center is about 200 dogs.
 
The selected dogs will be trained for 3 to 6 months and then provided to solitary senior citizen, hearing-impaired persons, and persons with intellectual disabilities within the province for free. In addition, the province is planning to start offering the dogs by creating the separate homepage for registration and accept applications starting from the second half of this year.
 
Sharing Center has been completed with the investment of KRW 1 billion in total including KRW 180 million of the national expense and KRW 820 million of the provincial expense since February 2011, and it was located in 3600㎡ of public reclaimed land which is managed by Korea Rural Community Corporation and Ministry of Agriculture as 2 complexes of 524㎡ in size.
 
The province plans to further invest　KRW 6 billion in the surrounding lands of 32,970㎡ in scale from 2014 to 2017 so as to develop the theme park for companion animals. The park will include training building, feeding building, outdoor training site, animal experience and education place, contest site, pet exhibition, and pet park.◇ Demonstration by the service dog for persons with physical disabilities ⓒ G-News Plus / Heo Seon-ryang
 
Governor Kim Moon-soo played a significant role in establishing Service Dog Sharing Center by giving a wholehearted support. In September 2010, when reported on the development plan of Eco-Farm Land in Hwaseong City, Governor Kim first directed the creation of the theme park for companion animals. In the briefing session for operating plans of Sharing Center in last October, he named the new facilities as ‘Service Dog Sharing Center’ and directed to aggressively push forward with the project.
 
Seo Sang-kyo, a head of Animal Quarantine and Sanitation Department said, “Yearly 28,000 dogs are abandoned within Gyeonggi Province.” He also explained about the background of the establishment of the sharing center, saying “We started this project, considering the abandoned lives can become a friend of senior citizens living alone and a companion of person with disabilities.”

Governor Kim said in an opening remark, “I adopted and am raising a female Tibetan spaniel named ‘Musoe’ that was abused and abandoned by its owner. Abandoned dogs usually suffer from psychological trauma.” He also added, “Animals as well as humans are creatures having emotions. I learn a lot from it.”
 
He also stressed, “The more pets, the more abandoned dogs. ‘Companion’ means sharing lives and deaths together. I can’t understand such public facilities haven’t been opened before and this is the first time to open among the nation even though companion dogs and abandoned dogs have increased.”
 
He also said, “As humans think of the nature as their companions, so do animals. Here in the center, the abandoned dogs are trained and become friends and families of solitary senior citizens, and become hands and feet of the disabled and their partners for psychotherapy. We believe this is a necessary job for the nation in the future, so we will further develop the center.”
 
Meanwhile, Governor Kim Moon-soo received and is raising one of the abandoned Tibetan spaniels from a president of CARE, Park So-hyun from last July, and he reportedly has a lot of interest in abandoned animals.◇ Demonstration by service dogs for persons with intellectual disabilities and psychotherapy. ⓒ G-News Plus / Heo Seon-ryang◇ Governor Kim Moon-soo holding a service dog for persons with hearing disabilities ⓒ G-News Plus / Heo Seon-ryang yh48635@nate.com
 
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