Meet Hodu, the plucky Pomeranian protecting her Seoul neighborhood

Social Affairs

Published: 02 May. 2024, 11:57 Updated: 02 May. 2024, 13:17

Meet Hodu, the plucky Pomeranian protecting her Seoul neighborhood

A three-year-old Pomeranian Hodu patrols its neighborhood as the "dog patrol" officer of Seongdong District, eastern Seoul. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A Pomeranian is garnering public attention on social media as it takes on a vital role in protecting her neighborhood.

According to the Seongdong District Office on Tuesday, the three-year-old Pomeranian, named Hodu, has assumed the responsibility of becoming a "dog patrol" officer.

The pet dog patrol program, first launched in 2022, encourages owners to watch out for any dangerous matters and report them to police, or their local district office, while they go on their daily walks with their dogs in their neighborhoods.

The program started with 64 human-pet dog teams and has grown ever since.

Last year, 1,011 teams conducted 48,431 patrols, leading to 331 police reports and 2,263 petition reports.

This year, the program began on April 20, with its launch ceremony taking place on the same day.

A total of 1,424 teams were selected through a screening process and are currently patrolling their towns this year.

During the screening process, the dog is evaluated on criteria such as whether it follows the owner’s orders and how it interacts with strangers.

Hodu is one of the 46 owner-pet teams selected to participate in the town dog patrol program for Seongdong District in eastern Seoul.

Three-year-old Pomeranian, Hodu, sits on her owner's lap while patrolling in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

According to the Seongdong District Office, Hodu’s owner said that before registering for the program, he reported safety-related issues such as potholes and illegal parking using the Safety e-Report app, a platform where citizens can report the dangers they encounter during their day-to-day lives.

He added that he applied for the program because he thought it would be more meaningful to engage in such activities with Hodu.

As Hodu became the talk of the town, Seongdong District Mayor Chong Won-o posted photos and a video of Hodu patrolling her neighborhood on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday, saying he wanted to share Hodu’s efforts with everyone online.

Chong said that the dog patrol program participants, initiated in 2022 by the Seoul Autonomous Police Commission, have been reliable town guards who keep an eye out for any issues that need attention, such as broken facilities or people in need of assistance, and report them while strolling their neighborhood with their pet dogs.

“I am glad and thankful for Hodu’s bravery being welcomed by many people,” the mayor added. “Please greet the dog patrol officers warmly when you encounter them.”

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]