May 28, 2025
SEOUL – A total of 1,449 dogs and their owners are taking part in community-based safety initiatives in Seoul, the city said Tuesday.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, 296 teams were added this month to the Seoul Metropolitan Autonomous Police Commission’s pet patrol initiative to take part in activities that help protect their respective districts in Seoul.
These activities include patrols at unmanned shops and walking trails, measures to prevent the disappearance of elderly people, accompanying people home on late-night commutes, and safety checks on potentially hazardous facilities in local neighborhoods.
A city official explained that more than 350 teams participated in an on-site evaluation in mid-May, demonstrating the dogs’ capabilities, such as responses to external stimuli, leash manners, obedience to “wait” commands and more.
The new teams finished an eight-day program covering crime prevention through environmental design, patrol guidelines and hands-on patrol exercises on Monday, and are set to work alongside the existing crews from Tuesday.
The pet patrol team began with just 64 teams in 2022, growing to 1,704 teams by 2024 with high levels of public participation and support.
The city government stated that the teams conducted 87,411 patrols and submitted 476 reports to the 112 emergency police hotline and 4,053 reports to the city’s 120 service hotline last year, contributing to the early detection of potential crimes and safety hazards.
Another round of recruitment is scheduled to take place in July.
Dog owners residing in Seoul will be eligible to apply for the patrol team via the Seoul Metropolitan Autonomous Police Commission’s official website, www.seoulpatrol.org. Teams will be selected following on-site evaluations in September and will be assigned to help protect the city during the second half of the year.