Pet patrol group seeks new pup signups as it goes nationwide

The civic group behind a civilian patrol unit of dog owners said Tuesday said it was recruiting new members as it plans to expand its operations nationwide.

The non-government Clear City (City Without Abandoned Dogs) said it had started receiving applications to join the Dog Patrol Program, which previously had operated only in Seoul, Busan, Incheon and other cities in Gyeonggi Province with the cooperation of the respective regional governments.

First launched in 2022 in Seoul, the program invites people with pet dogs to watch for and report any suspected crimes or other safety risks to authorities while they go for walks in their neighborhood. The civilian teams are not expected to patrol shady areas or provide active assistance to local law enforcement.

"Dog Patrol Program has been assessed by Seoul as one of the most notable success cases of citizens participating in maintaining public security. ... The nationwide expansion of the team is expected to play a significant role in encouraging the people to keep their neighborhood safe, while boosting their sense of community," the group said in a press release.

According to the group, 1,421 dog-and-owner teams are in operation in the Seoul area. Busan teams commenced operation later in 2022, and have accumulated 4,876 patrols in the area since then.

The latest recruitment is for 17 cities across the country, expanding nationwide to include Chuncheon in Gangwon Province, Jeonju and Yeonggwang in the Jeolla provinces, and other cities that can be found in the recruitment section of the Dog Patrol's homepage.

Potential members can submit their names and personal information, the average number of walks per week, along with their pet dog's name, breed, weight, gender, age and animal registration number. They will then go through an on-the-job test, which will test the dog's behavior and reactions to outside factors such as larger dogs.