Abused and buried alive

Members of the Korean Animal Welfare Association (KAWA) and animal protection group Life are gathered for a joint press conference on Tuesday, outside the Yongsan Presidential Office in central Seoul, to expose an alleged massacre of dogs and cats in Gyeonggi. The two organizations said a so-called animal shelter in Gyeonggi "advertised itself as a caring and free-euthanization facility for owners wanting to give up their pets." "The facility used the guilt of pet owners into manipulating them to pay up to some 10 million won (about $7,500) for their services. But in the process of maximizing profits, the facility did not take proper care of the relinquished pets, even physically assaulting and killing them," they said. The organizations found the skulls of 86 dogs and 32 cats buried in the mountains of Paju, Gyeonggi. Autopsy results showed evidence of asphyxiation, meaning they were buried alive. Twenty-eight skulls showed signs of blunt force. KAWA and Life also said the "shelter" offered free adoptions, but would only show aggressive or unhealthy pets that were given up, instead steering owners seeking pets to buy expensive dogs and cats the facility newly purchased at animal auctions. [LEE JIAN]

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]