Pet emergencies

Animals are not carried by 119. You have to get to the clinic yourself.

Go to a clinic immediately for

• Breathing difficulty, pale or blue gums.
• Seizures or reduced consciousness.
• Repeated vomiting or diarrhoea with blood.
• A swollen abdomen with retching — suspected bloat in large dogs.
• Inability to urinate — especially male cats, dangerous within hours.
• Eating chocolate, grapes, onion, xylitol or human medicine.
• Traffic accidents, falls or bite wounds.
• No progress for over 30 minutes during birth.

What you can do now

1. Phone the nearest 24-hour animal hospital first, describe the situation and check you can come.
2. Bring the packaging of anything eaten.
3. Never give human medicine on your own — painkillers and anti-inflammatories can be fatal to animals.
4. Transport them safely in a carrier — a hurting animal may bite.
5. Don't force vomiting — follow the vet's instructions.

Prepare in advance

• Save at least two 24-hour animal hospitals in your phone.
• Register your animal (microchip) — it makes recovery far easier if lost. See pet-registration.
• With pet insurance, check the start date and what is covered.
• Know your regular clinic's records.

Where to go

• Your nearest 24-hour animal hospital (saved in advance)
• 1588-4771 Animal Protection Management System (animal.go.kr)
• 120 local authority call centre (stray animals, animal remains)
• 119 (rescue requests, e.g. an animal trapped in a structure)

Questions people ask

Does 119 transport animals? Not as emergency patients. But you can request rescue where an animal is trapped or in danger.

How do I find a clinic open at night? Search "24-hour animal hospital" on a portal map. Saving one in advance is best.

I saw an injured animal on the street. Report to 120 or the local animal protection office. Handling it yourself risks a bite.

The bills are heavy. Some local authorities run veterinary cost support for low-income households. Ask your city or district office.

Take care

Chocolate, grapes, raisins, onion and xylitol are dangerous to dogs. For cats, lilies are lethal. Never give human painkillers such as paracetamol. In summer, leaving an animal in a car can kill within minutes.

Related

pet-registration · pet-rules · pet-vaccination · heatwave · dog-bite

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs www.mafra.go.kr / As of 2026-08