Gyeonggi to combat animal abuse after grisly cases

Social Affairs

Published: 28 Mar. 2023, 17:38

Gyeonggi to combat animal abuse after grisly cases

Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police discovered a pile of animal bones at a dog farm in Gwangju, Gyeonggi on Friday. [GYEONGGI PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT]

Gyeonggi Provincial Government said Tuesday it will draw up measures to prevent animal cruelty after a series of animal abuse cases in Yangpyeong and Gwangju, Gyeonggi this month.

Gyeonggi Second Vice Governor Oh Who-seok visited a dog farm in Gwangju on Tuesday where eight dead dogs and the bones of 21 unidentified animals were discovered Friday.

The unidentified animals are believed to be mostly dogs, as well as goats and cats.

The bodies of the dead dogs found at the site have been collected by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency to investigate the exact causes of death.

“With animal cruelty occurring in places like Yangpyeong and Gwangju, businesses that may be exposed to animal abuse such as places that sell and manage these animals should be inspected thoroughly,” said Oh.

He also called for thorough follow-up care for animals rescued from the farms in question, including constant treatment and protection.

The Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police created a separate team for animal protection in January to crack down on animal abuse.

Another 51 dogs were found alive in cages at the farm. They will be sent to a protection center after transferring ownership of the animals to Gwangju in Gyeonggi.

The 62-year-old farmer is accused of violating the Animal Protection Act.

Violators of the law who leave animals to die without providing them with required care face up to three years in prison and up to 30 million won ($23,000) in fines.

“Most of the dead dog bodies were found in cages, and it looks like they were left to die without being treated even though they were ill,” a police officer said.

“The farmer is denying the allegations and asking why this is a crime.”

The entrance of a house in Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi is blocked on March 6 after bodies of some 1,200 dogs were discovered inside. [JEON ICK-JIN]

On March 4, the bodies of 1,200 dead dogs were discovered at a house in Yangpyeong.

The house owner, a man in his 60s, had reportedly starved the dogs to death since June 2020 after buying them at around 10,000 won each in auctions.

The owner was reported to the police after a nearby resident discovered bones and dead dog bodies inside the house while searching for their missing dog.

The bodies and bones were found in the yard, as well as in some rubber buckets outside the house.

Suwon District Court issued an arrest warrant for the man on March 8 due to concerns he might flee or destroy evidence.

BY JEON ICK-JIN, CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]