Note from the dog owner who abandoned the dog: "Please take good care of it, I’m moving^^♡"

Netizens "Are you abandoning your family when moving?" express anger

A dog owner irresponsibly left their dog in a garage and abandoned it, sparking outrage among pet owners.

The nonprofit organization Animal Protection Alliance recently shared the story of a rescued stray dog named 'Bongbong' through social media (SNS).

According to the report, Bongbong was found tied up inside a garage of an empty house. A note was also found in the garage that read, "Please take good care of our Ddolddol. We moved away ^^♡."

The Animal Protection Alliance stated, "The neighbor who moved out left the dog tied up," and added, "Three weeks have passed, but Bongbong has not been adopted yet," sharing the heartbreaking story.

They continued, "We are looking for a family to provide stable temporary care for Bongbong for three months," adding, "A teary-eyed little one. Let's live again as Bongbong."

The post received comments such as, "Abandoning family and laughing? If you can't take responsibility, don't raise pets," "My anger is exploding," "Shouldn't this be reported as abandonment and fined?" and "This is outrageous."

Calls for "Stricter Punishment for Pet Abandonment"

Meanwhile, according to the 'Pet Protection and Welfare Survey Results' announced by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, the number of pets rescued by animal protection centers last year reached 113,440. Fortunately, 14,031 of the rescued animals were returned to their owners, and 31,182 (27.5%) were adopted.

However, 26.9% (30,490) of these animals died naturally, and 16.8% (19,043) were euthanized. In other words, a significant number of lost and abandoned animals still face tragic deaths separated from their guardians.

As a result, there are calls to strengthen penalties to prevent animal abandonment. Although the Animal Protection Act was amended in 2021 to increase fines up to 3 million won, the amount is still not substantial enough, leading to what critics call lenient punishments. Additionally, enforcement and detection are difficult. Unless the act is witnessed directly, it is challenging to detect and penalize afterward.