"No Muzzle or Leash" Dog Bite Incident Repeats...Urgent Need for Pet Owner Education [Kim Suwan's Animal Report]

Actor Kim Min-kyo's 80s Victim Bitten by Pet Dog Dies During Treatment
Calls for Euthanasia of Dogs Causing Biting Accidents
Experts: "Urgent Need for Pet Owner Education... Must Fulfill Responsibilities and Duties"

In April of last year, a woman in her 60s who was taking a walk in Anseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, was fatally bitten by a Doberman. Additionally, in September 2017, Kim Mo (53, female), the owner of the Korean restaurant Hanilkwan, died from sepsis after being bitten by a French Bulldog owned by Choi Siwon's family. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] As an elderly woman in her 80s who was receiving treatment after being bitten by actor Kim Minkyo's pet dog has ultimately passed away, calls are growing to strengthen penalties for pet owners to reduce dog bite incidents.

Previously, in 2017, the owner of a famous Korean restaurant lost her life to sepsis after being bitten by the pet dog of Super Junior member Choi Siwon (34) and his family, raising issues about the responsibility of guardians in managing and supervising pets.

However, despite these movements, dog bite incidents continue unabated. Some even argue that pet dogs that bite people should be euthanized, intensifying the controversy.

As dog bite incidents have continued, the National Assembly has taken measures such as passing amendments to the Animal Protection Act to strengthen the management obligations for dangerous dogs, but there are criticisms that these measures lack effectiveness.

According to the Gwangju Police Station in Gyeonggi Province on the 4th, A, who was hospitalized after being bitten by Kim Minkyo's pet dog in May, passed away during treatment in the early hours of the 3rd.

A was bitten on the arms and legs by two of Kim Minkyo's pet dogs while gathering wild greens in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, on May 4th and was receiving treatment.

At the time, the pet dogs, without leashes or muzzles, reportedly jumped over a fence after spotting a water deer and attacked A.

The police plan to conduct an autopsy on A's body to determine the exact cause of death. If the autopsy confirms that A's death was due to the dog bite incident, Kim Minkyo, as the guardian, is expected to face charges of negligent homicide.

The number of patients receiving hospital treatment due to dog bite incidents has been steadily increasing. According to the Fire Agency last year, over the past three years, 6,883 patients received hospital treatment for dog bite incidents, with an average of more than 2,000 cases each year. Photo by Yonhap News

This is not the first fatality caused by a dog bite incident. In April last year, a woman in her 60s died after being bitten by a Dosa dog while taking a walk in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province. Moreover, in September 2017, Kim Mo (53, female), the owner of the Korean restaurant Hanilkwan, died of sepsis after being bitten by the French Bulldog owned by Choi Siwon's family.

The number of patients receiving hospital treatment due to dog bites has also steadily increased. According to the Fire Department last year, 6,883 patients received hospital treatment for dog bite incidents over the past three years, averaging more than 2,000 cases annually. This equates to an average of six dog bite incidents per day.

Especially from May to October, when outdoor activities increase, the average monthly number of people who called 119 for help after being bitten by dogs reached 226.

However, since most dog bite incidents occur due to the negligence of guardians, there are calls for urgent education for pet owners. In many cases of accidents, the pet dogs were not properly wearing leashes or muzzles.

Additionally, despite strengthened regulations under the Animal Protection Act, cases leading to punishment are rare. According to current law, dog owners who cause injury by failing to have their dogs wear leashes or muzzles face imprisonment of up to two years or fines up to 20 million won, and if death results, imprisonment of up to three years or fines up to 30 million won. However, actual cases leading to punishment have been almost nonexistent.

Although fines have increased compared to before, the procedures for identifying violators, such as confirming their identity, are complicated. Particularly, local governments find it difficult to enforce leash violations due to a shortage of enforcement personnel.

Given this situation, voices advocating for euthanasia of pet dogs that have attacked people are growing. This is because dogs with a history of biting people multiple times are seen as having no possibility of rehabilitation.

A office worker A (35) said, "Since news of dog bite incidents is heard so often, it even creates a negative sentiment toward dogs," adding, "Especially for dangerous dogs that have bitten people multiple times, euthanasia is necessary. If the owner ever loses control of the leash, wouldn't such dogs kill several people?"

The problem is that while euthanasia may be an option for highly aggressive dogs, it is not a fundamental solution. Euthanasia of dogs that caused accidents is merely a post-event remedy. Therefore, to prevent dog bite incidents, there is a call for effective pet owner management regulations, as seen in foreign countries.

In the United States, when a dog bite incident occurs, more responsibility is placed on the owner than on the dog. This is commonly known as the "One Bite Law" and is applied in most states. This law gives a one-time reprieve to dogs that are not usually aggressive and emphasizes that all responsibility lies with the owner. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

In the United States, when a dog bite incident occurs, more responsibility is placed on the owner than on the dog. This is known as the "One Bite Law" and is applied in most states. This law gives a chance to dogs that have no prior aggression and emphasizes that all responsibility lies with the owner. The legal judgment varies depending on the extent of the injury caused when the dog bites a person.

In the United Kingdom, special control dogs such as Pit Bull Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Dosa dog, and Dogo Argentino require special certification and government permission to be kept. Additionally, owners of dangerous dogs are required to have insurance, and dog bite incidents can result in imprisonment of up to 14 years, reflecting strict management.

Experts emphasize that a culture where raising a life comes with corresponding responsibilities and duties must be established. Lee Wonbok, head of the Korea Animal Protection Alliance, suggested, "For a mature pet culture (in Korea), measures such as requiring pet owners to receive annual education are necessary."

Meanwhile, going forward, dangerous dogs that bite or threaten people will be subject to aggression assessments and may be ordered euthanasia. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced a "Comprehensive Animal Welfare Plan" in January, including measures to prevent dog bite incidents.

The Ministry plans to evaluate the temperament (aggressiveness) of "dangerous dogs" that have bitten or injured people and, based on the results, order behavioral correction or euthanasia.

Furthermore, detailed criteria for evaluating "dangerous dogs" and procedures for behavioral correction and euthanasia orders are expected to be finalized by 2022.

The Ministry also plans to implement a system from 2022 requiring new pet owners to undergo mandatory pre-education. Alongside this, they will promote including animal protection and welfare education programs in the regular curricula of elementary, middle, and high schools.