Korea's revised animal protection law aims to make people more responsible for their pets and prevent inhumane treatment, the government said Sunday (July 8).

The revision that goes into effect in January 2008 will initially cover dogs, livestock and laboratory animals, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said.

It said that owners must give dogs that go outdoors identification tags and register them with local county, ward and city authorities.

Pet owners must also immediately clean up the droppings of their animals to avoid paying fines.

Roughly 20 percent of all Korean households have pets, with dogs making up the majority.

Failure to register with local authorities could result in fines of under 300,000 won ($325), while lack of identification tags and dog collars could translate into fines reaching 200,000 won and 100,000 won respectively, the ministry said.

It said dog owners who do not regularly vaccinate their pets or clean up after them in public places will be fined up to 300,000 won and 100,000 won each. Children under 14 years old may not hold onto dog collars, and outright abandoning pets will entail fines of under 500,000 won.

The ministry said regional governments hold the right to adjust the level of penalties and other details of the new law to best suit their requirements.

It stressed that while the level of fines may vary from place to place, the new rules should make people more responsible pet owners and facilitate the return of lost animals.

In 2006, authorities caught 79,000 lost animals, with the government spending 8 billion won to care for them, a sharp rise from the 20,000 lost pets reported in 2005.

New rules preventing the abuse of all animals compel people to use all available means to reduce suffering when butchering animals or using them in tests.

"The new rules specifically ban the use of unauthorized chemicals, electricity, fire or water to hurt animals," said a government official.

He added that by 2012, all research institutions using lab animals must have an in-house ethics oversight committee to prevent unnecessary suffering, and make certain that a minimal number of animals are used in live tests.

The committee must have between three to 15 experts, with a third being people from outside the organization.

In addition, pet shops and services that dispose of dead animals must meet minimum facility requirements and register their businesses with local authorities, preventing the sale of unhealthy animals and environmental pollution from animal cremation.