Around 30 percent of stray pets protected by animal shelters found new homes in 2020, data showed, amid the growing popularity of raising pets in South Korea.

The number of pets rescued by animal shelters came to 130,401 in 2020, down 3.9 percent from 135,791 posted in the previous year, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

The data showed 29.6 percent of the rescued animals in 2020 were adopted, up 3.2 percentage points from a year earlier.

A quarter died of natural causes, while 20.8 percent were euthanized. Around 11 percent were returned to their original owners. (Yonhap)