Animal shelters with high natural death rates to face intensive inspections ahead of summer heat

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced Thursday that it will conduct on-site inspections of animal shelters across the country in preparation for summer heat waves and heavy rainfall.

The inspections will run from June 8 through June 26. The ministry plans to assess summer management conditions at 226 animal shelters nationwide — 89 directly operated and 137 contracted — in cooperation with local governments.

Shelters with high natural death rates will undergo joint inspections by the ministry and local authorities. The move comes as increasingly frequent heat waves and localized downpours have heightened the need to prevent heat-related illness in sheltered animals and accidents at facilities.

Inspectors will focus on whether indoor shelter spaces maintain appropriate temperatures below 28 degrees Celsius, as well as the operating condition of cooling and ventilation equipment, the installation of shade structures, and the adequacy of drinking water supplies.

Particular attention will be paid to outdoor enclosures: animals housed outside are to be moved indoors during heat waves, and where relocation is not feasible, inspectors will check whether shade screens have been installed to block direct sunlight. The health condition of newly admitted animals and the state of hygiene and infectious disease management will also be reviewed.

Inspectors will additionally examine the health status of sheltered animals, the operation of holiday and overnight response systems, and facility safety against risks such as flooding and structural collapse.

The ministry will check water supply facilities to ensure animals can drink at any time, and will review emergency response systems to ensure immediate action can be taken if symptoms such as heatstroke are detected.

Any deficiencies found during inspections will be addressed with on-site corrective guidance, and the ministry will continue follow-up management in coordination with local governments.

Choi Gyeong-cheol, head of the ministry's task force on ending dog meat consumption, said field management is critical because summer heat directly affects the health of sheltered animals. "We will strengthen oversight together with local governments to ensure that lost and abandoned animals are kept safe at animal shelters," he said.