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Unleashed dogs a menace to society

Published: 24 Oct. 2017, 21:24

It is common to see dogs off their leash. But there have been many accidents of people seriously injured by unleashed dogs. The case of a singer’s unleashed dog biting a person which led her to die because of blood poisoning is a case of it. According to the Animal Protection Act, people who brought animals without any safety gear such as leashes and muzzle, to the public space, are breaking the law; they have to pay a fine of $500.

However, in reality, people argue that their pets are always obedient and don’t spring out at others. Let’s look at other countries to search for a better solution. In England, a dog owner can be sentenced for 5 years in prison if his dog bites a person, and if that victim dies, the punishment would be increased up to 14 years. In the United States, if unleashed animals make disturbances, the owner will be sentenced to a maximum of half a year in jail or a fine of $1,000.

That’s why I think we, Koreans, have to put more pressure on the Animal Protection Act. One of the best solutions is to levy more fines, probably up to $10,000. Since we don’t specifically know when animals turn violent and pounce on people, wearing leashes or muzzles should be mandatory.

Besides, people who don’t follow this law must pay s fine of $10,000 which is not a negligible amount of money. Meanwhile, we can also establish a park where pets don’t have to wear any safety gears. Only in that space, pets can be freed from any artificial gears. I hope people with dogs remember that their lovely pets can be big threats to passers-by, and a tragedy can be prevented just by a little action.

*Freshman in Sangsan High School

Kim Ji-won