At Hongik University, people can easily see many cats live on campus. A few years ago, students who were interested in animal rights were concerned about the cats’ security and started to help the cats to live on campus by organizing the club Meongnyangburee. Hongik Tidings met the president of this club, Choi Duk Yoon to know more about this school club and inform people about animal rights.

HT: What is the meaning of the club name, Meong Nyang Bu Ree?

DY: The club’s name, Meongnyangburee, is from the combination of Korean’s abbreviation, the dogs, cats, and birds. It means the goal to make a society that harmonizes humans with animals.

HT: How did this club start?

DY: At first, it started by “building stray cats’ houses”. Many cats at Hongik University died from the harsh winter in 2016. Some students felt pity for their death, so they decided to build warm houses. This project was very successful. After that, they voluntarily organized a club to take care of the cats. In addition, each club member shared a role in accordance with their majors. Students majoring in arts and architecture have designed and manufactured the houses, others majoring in management and business have taken charge of the accounting and finances of the club. They are all actively participating in all of the club’s projects.

HT: What activities does this club?

DY: We set our sights on making a campus where Hongik students can co-exist with the cats. Firstly, every semester, the president of the club does a seminar about animal rights. During the seminar, the president educates attendees on TNR (trap-neuter-return) and overall contents of animal rights, the method of capture and club activities. Moreover, we feed the cats everyday. Secondly, when we get information about injured cats, we find and capture them. If it is necessary, we bring them to a hospital. After they heal, the cats that need persistent care receive parenting services, others proceed to adoption or are returned to where they came from. Thirdly, these activities need money, we periodically process revenue making businesses. Art college students design stickers, badges and goods themselves, and then selling them not only in school but also at external festivals and exhibitions. All profits from sold goods are used for the cats. Lastly, we do TRN to control the number of cats, to prevent the noise and relieve pain when the cats are in mating season. The club plans a week every semester on campus-cats. Otherwise, we are also interested in the livestock industry. Currently, we participate in KARA’s volunteering program and activities about livestock industry.

HT: How does each department work?

DY: Our club consists of about 50 people. As a representative of this club, I contact KARA, the animal organization of right behavior, go to seminars and set up the whole schedule. I lead every meeting, board meeting, and education seminar. The vice presidents help me and manage other activities that I can’t take care of. For example, they look after the parenting service and mediation of adoption. Detailed work is handled by each department.

1. Business Department

They arrange money received and paid and reveal a detailed statement to the members.

2. Project Department

Every month, they contact organizations related to animals and apply to volunteer programs. Also, they do administrative works when the club projects progress.

3. Production Department

They make cat’s houses, feed the cats, and provide other goods.

4. Advertising Department

It designs information card and promotional posters. Also, they take pictures and upload them on SNS.

5. Capture and Distribution Department

Most of members live near the school and make a move when they receive a report that cats are in danger. They also distribute feed every day. They become familiar with the cats.

HT: Could you tell us of a memorable episode during club activities?

DY: A cat fell into a construction site. The place was a very dangerous place that many cats previously got into and died. We asked for help from a security guard and paramedic, but they refused to help because the animals in danger were not their responsibility. So, we borrowed some capture equipment from KARA and put in feed and dropped down into the site. The cat didn’t eat for 5days, but after 6days, it started eating. However, it was difficult to catch because it always escaped from capture trap and the guard closed the ventilation window frequently. After 9days passed, it was captured in the frame and we could draw the cat out to a miracle. After that, we brought it to the hospital. Fortunately, it didn’t have any health problems. We really cared about the case. We can rescue cats thanks to Hongik students’ warm encouragement.

HT: Are there difficulties in club activities?

DY: We are always having money trouble because we need finances to cure and feed Hongik cats. Therefore, we usually carry out fund-raising and revenue making businesses. However, when we upload an internet poster, someone removes it frequently, even though we don’t force them to donate. Luckily, donations and fund-raising are always successful because of peoples’ warm-hearted attention. Moreover, KARA supports the half of the hospital expense so that we can continue our activities.

HT: Introduce the cats that live at Hongik University.

DY: There are over 30 cats at our school. In 2016, a pregnant cat bred 8 babies. This is the start of the increasement in the population. These days, they live on Wow-mountain and every part of the campus.

The most popular cats are four ‘Cheese’-cats in K-building. They like people a lot. In C-building, there are two cats named Sagle and Kyophill. Their names are from one of our school’s liberal arts courses. In addition to this, there is a cat called Rabbit around the Student Hall and Jenyang around Z-building. A cat family live near T-building and Modeling Hall.

HT: Do you have any requests that Hongik people can keep in mind regarding the cats’ life?

DY: I think that society should change their perspective to accomplish coexistence with animals. Humans can’t be concerned with every tragedy that occurs to animals. But just a small concern can help them. Keep in mind that the cats have the same right as creatures like us and they also can feel the emotion. But, be careful not to be overly concerned as this sometimes eliminates a sense of security and can put cats in danger. So, we pursue the cats that have wariness towards humans. Kittens with no wariness can be revealed through abuse. Absence of this concept made problems last year. A student brought a kitten to his house. It is a dangerous action because a kitten with a strange scent will be abandoned by its mother. If kittens are clean around their eyes, it means their mother takes care of them out of peoples’ view. It is their instinct to survive in the harsh environment. Living with cats are not a light matter, so we need to be aware of their traits.

When an applicant for adoption emerges, we ask several personal questions and fill out a form.

The form includes private information, but we don’t use it privately. We think that asking questions are necessary whether the person has an ability to feed and love the cat or not. We check their homes and visit to bring the cats.

Our club’s budget has become worse than ever because of the increasing cat population. To solve unpaid medical expenses, we started a Tumblbug crowd funding page. Pay attention to such sale goods as a pouch, hand-mirror and badge when we sell it from now on!

To get more information, visit us!

https://www.facebook.com/hongikkcats/

https://www.instagram.com/hongik_cats/

To be a sponsor: www.tumblbug.com/hongikcats