반려동물 산업 및 뉴스 브리핑 — 2026-09-12

Recently, the pet industry has seen a notable expansion of healthcare companies entering the pet market and efforts to revitalize the ecosystem through industry-academia-research cooperation. On the policy front, expert discussions were held to enact the Basic Animal Welfare Act, officially launching discussions to overhaul the animal welfare system. In addition, pet-friendly infrastructure is spreading across the industry, highlighted by a construction company's pet-specific product winning a Good Design Award for the first time.

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Enactment of Basic Animal Welfare Act Begins… Accelerated Expansion of Pet Healthcare and Infrastructure

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반려동물 산업 및 비즈니스 동향

1. 헬스케어 기업의 반려동물 건강기능식품 시장 진출 가속화 Health management technologies originally developed for humans, such as probiotics and red ginseng, are rapidly moving into the pet market. Food, pharmaceutical, and health supplement companies are applying their accumulated raw materials and R&D capabilities to dog and cat products to respond to the "pet humanization" trend. This aligns with social shifts recognizing pets as family members and is expected to drive growth in the high-value pet healthcare market.

2. 동명대 앵커사업단, 초광역 반려동물 산업생태계 활성화 협약 체결 Tongmyong University's Anchor Business Group signed business agreements with six organizations and companies on the 8th, including Yonsei University's Future Startup Support Group, the Korea Artificial Intelligence Convergence Technology Association, K-Tech, Dogbaek, and Yudam. This agreement aims to revitalize a super-regional pet industry ecosystem through industry-academia-research cooperation, with plans to collaborate on related technology development and startup support.

3. HS화성, 반려동물 특화 상품 'FIT WITH PET'으로 굿 디자인 선정 Mid-sized builder HS Hwaseong's pet-specific product "FIT WITH PET" was selected at "Good Design Korea 2026." This is an example of the construction industry's efforts to create pet-friendly living environments, and design trends considering pet safety and convenience are expected to spread in future architectural designs.

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정책 및 법률 개정 사항

1. 농림축산식품부, '동물복지기본법' 제정안 의견 수렴 토론회 개최 The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs held an expert discussion on September 11 at the National Assembly Members' Office Building to enact the Basic Animal Welfare Act. This bill aims to lay the basic framework for animal welfare policies covering not only companion animals, but also farm animals, laboratory animals, and zoo and aquarium animals. The government plans to finalize the bill by broadly gathering opinions from experts, animal protection groups, and the industry.

2. 연천군, 공설동물장묘시설 주변 주민지원 근거 마련 위한 동물보호법 개정 건의 Yeoncheon County in Gyeonggi Province petitioned the National Assembly for the prompt processing of a partial amendment to the Animal Protection Act to establish a legal basis for supporting residents living near public animal funeral facilities. This measure aims to ease conflicts over the location of funeral facilities and build a foundation for local coexistence, evaluated as a local government attempt to balance animal welfare infrastructure with the protection of local residents' rights and interests.

3. 동물 학대 재범 방지 및 사육 제한 제도 도입 논의 As it has been pointed out that it is currently difficult under existing laws to prevent individuals criminally punished for animal abuse from raising animals again, the necessity of introducing systems to restrict this is emerging. Voices calling for the passage of an animal ownership ban are growing through columns like those in the Segye Ilbo, drawing attention to whether strong institutional devices will be established to prevent recidivism.

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건강 관리 및 라이프스타일 팁

1. 스마트 펫테크 브랜드 PetSuper, IFA 2026서 AI 기반 건강관리 솔루션 공개 Smart pet tech brand PetSuper participated in IFA 2026 to showcase intelligent products and AI-based pet health management technology. Aiming to improve daily care, these technologies focus on monitoring pets' health status in real-time, analyzing data, and providing customized information to guardians.

2. 반려동물용품 브랜드 평판 분석: 하림펫푸드 1위 차지 According to big data analysis for September 2026 by the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute, Harim Pet Food ranked first in brand reputation in the pet supplies category. Dorandoran and Catsrang followed in second and third. These brand reputation indices reflect consumer trust and preference, making them useful references when choosing products.

3. 국내 반려동물 양육 비율 26.4%, 월평균 지출 16만원 According to OpenSurvey's "Pet Trend Report 2024," the pet ownership rate among Korean men and women aged 20 to 59 stood at 26.4%, with monthly average spending amounting to 160,000 won. This data is useful for understanding pet health management forms and consumption patterns, suggesting the importance of nutrition management and exercise for pet wellness.