🐶 How to Adopt a Rescue Dog in Korea
(Where to adopt / process / documents / checklist)
In Korea, more than 100,000 animals enter shelters every year.
Many are abandoned because owners move abroad, lose housing, or buy new dogs.Adoption = saving a life.
As a foreign resident, YOU CAN adopt a dog or cat in Korea
— but the process is different from other countries.
This guide explains:
✅ Where to find dogs for adoption
✅ Requirements for foreigners
✅ Home check / interview process
✅ Adoption fee details
✅ What to say and what to avoid
🏠 Where to adopt a rescue dog (NOT pet shops)
| Type | Korean Term | Description |
| City/public shelter | 유기동물 보호소 | Dogs rescued by the city; many need homes urgently |
| Private rescue shelter | 사설 보호소 | Volunteer-run, donation-based |
| Adoption platforms | 입양 플랫폼 | Lists adoptable pets from shelters |
Top adoption sources (search these names online):
- Korea Animal Rescue and Management Association (KARMA)
- Korea Animal Rights Advocates (KARA)
- Care Animal Shelter
- Naver or Kakao → Search “유기견 입양” or “입양 가능”
- Instagram search → #유기견입양 #사지말고입양하세요
🚫 Do not adopt from puppy mills or pet stores.
They overbreed animals for profit.
✅ Requirements to adopt (foreigners included)
| Requirement | Explnation |
| 🪪 ARC (Alien Registration Card) | Proof of identity and long-term residence |
| 🏠 Stable housing | Must allow pets (check rental contract) |
| 💬 Interview & adoption agreement | Confirms your responsibility |
| 🏥 Agreement for vaccination / microchip | Mandatory |
If you live in short-term housing or plan to leave Korea soon, adoption is discouraged.
📄 Adoption process (step-by-step)
① Search adoptable dogs (shelter websites / Instagram / platforms)
② Submit inquiry (DM, form, Kakao message)
③ Interview by staff (home environment check)
④ Visit shelter, meet dog
⑤ Fill out adoption agreement + pay fee
⑥ Bring dog home (after sterilization / vaccination if needed)⏱ Time required: 1–3 weeks
💰 Adoption fees (why they exist)
| What the adoption fee covers | Amount |
| Vaccinations | Included |
| Microchip | Included |
| Neutering/spay (if applicable) | Included |
| Deworming / medical check | Included |
Average adoption fee range:
➡️ ₩150,000 ~ ₩300,000 KRW (≈ USD $110–230)
Adoption fee = medical cost reimbursement, not a purchase price.
🗣 What to say to shelters (English → Korean)
| Situation | Korean phrase |
| I want to adopt a rescue dog. | 유기견을 입양하고 싶습니다. |
| Is the dog still available? | 아직 입양 가능할까요? |
| I have adoption experience. | 입양 경험이 있습니다. |
| I understand long-term responsibility. | 책임감을 가지고 끝까지 돌보겠습니다. |
Shelters often prefer adopters who understand responsibility rather than impulse adopters.
❤️ Home preparation before adoption
| Checklist | Done |
| Confirm your housing allows pets | ☐ |
| Buy crate + bed + bowls + leash | ☐ |
| Prepare pet registration (microchip) plan | ☐ |
| Choose a vet clinic nearby | ☐ |
| Prepare NHIS + pet insurance options | ☐ |
🐕 After-adoption responsibilities (VERY IMPORTANT)
| Responsibility | Description |
| Register pet with local office | Mandatory within 30 days (동물등록제) |
| Continue vaccination | Annual vaccine booster |
| Microchip info update | If you move or change phone number |
| Daily walking + training | Korean cities require dogs on leash |
| Clean up waste | Required by law |
Failure to register dog microchip can result in fines.
🧠 Warning: Do NOT adopt if…
| Warning sign | Reason |
| You're planning to leave Korea soon | Pets are not disposable |
| You are adopting only because it's “cute” | Dogs need training & vet care |
| Housing is unstable | Many abandoned pets come from moving situations |
Adoption is 10–15+ years responsibility, not a temporary experience.
🔑 Summary
- Look for shelters / adoption organizations, NOT pet stores.
- Foreigners can adopt with ARC + stable housing + interview.
- Adoption fee covers vaccination / microchip / medical care.
- Register your dog after adoption (legally required).
Adoption doesn’t just change the dog’s life —
it changes yours.
