Customs data from Incheon, South Korea, shows that from January to August this year, the number of cats and dogs imported was twice that of two years ago. Customs officials said that the COVID-19 epidemic is not over yet and people are spending more time at home, which has led to a new upsurge in pet ownership.
Incheon Customs released data on the 22nd saying that the total number of cats and dogs imported by air from January to August this year reached 10,241, including 2,280 cats and 7,961 dogs. The total number was approximately twice that of the same period in 2019 before the outbreak, and an increase of approximately 10% over the same period last year.
Incheon is located about 40 kilometers west of Seoul, the capital of South Korea, and is South Korea's main trade port. According to Incheon Customs, the surge in the number of imported cats and dogs is largely due to the fact that prevention and control measures during the epidemic have led to people spending more time at home.
A report from South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock and Food showed that as of October last year, more than 6.3 million households had pets, an increase of 470,000 households from the previous year. According to estimates in the report, the total number of pet cats and dogs in South Korea is about 8.6 million.