Incheon launches mobile dog nose print registration pilot

Incheon Metropolitan City has launched a pilot program providing mobile services for dog nose print registration to prevent pet loss and abandonment. From August to October, specialized registration booths will be set up in accessible locations such as apartment complexes, pet shelters, and community centers within Gyeyang-gu and Michuhol-gu.

Nose print registration uses a dog’s unique nasal patterns as a biometric identification method, similar to human fingerprints. This approach aims to address the limitations of external tags, which can be lost, and the psychological reluctance some owners feel toward microchip implants.

Because nose print registration is not yet recognized as a formal legal registration method under current laws, owners must also complete official external registration. To support this, Incheon is providing free external animal registration for participants. This benefit is available to all residents visiting the registration booths, even those living outside of Gyeyang-gu and Michuhol-gu.