[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Choi Eun-young] A pet dog died after being attacked by a Jindo dog without a muzzle while out for a walk with its owner. The victim dog owner filed a complaint with the police against the other dog owner on charges including property damage, but under current law, failure to wear a muzzle cannot be punished, leading to growing calls for legal reform.
On the 29th, the Yongin Eastern Police Station in Gyeonggi Province received a complaint from Pomeranian dog owner Mr. A against Jindo dog owner Mr. B on charges including property damage and negligence causing injury, and launched an investigation.
According to Mr. A, on the 25th at around 10 p.m., Mr. A and his spouse went for a walk with their 4-year-old Pomeranian on a sidewalk in Giheung-gu, Yongin City, when the incident occurred. A Jindo dog approaching from the opposite direction attacked the Pomeranian.
Mr. A and his spouse, along with four passersby, tried to separate the Jindo dog from their Pomeranian, but to no avail. The Jindo dog’s attack lasted about 1 minute and 45 seconds and only stopped when the Jindo dog’s owner, Mr. B, appeared.
Mr. A and his spouse immediately transported their pet to the hospital, but the Pomeranian’s abdomen was torn open with internal organs exposed, and all its ribs were broken. Ultimately, the dog was pronounced dead two hours after arriving at the hospital. Mr. A was also reported to have injured his fingers during the incident.
It was revealed that the Jindo dog was not wearing a muzzle at the time of the incident. According to Article 12 of the Enforcement Rules of the Animal Protection Act, dogs classified as dangerous must wear muzzles. The breeds subject to this include five types and their mixed breeds: Dosa dogs, American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and Rottweilers.
Under this law, the Jindo dog that bit and killed Mr. A’s pet is not classified as a dangerous dog and therefore is not required to wear a muzzle. There are no separate management regulations for dogs not classified as dangerous.
The police plan to secure closed-circuit (CC) TV footage installed around the scene to ascertain the facts and summon both the complainant and the accused for investigation.
Meanwhile, on the 25th, Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Min-seok introduced a bill to amend the Animal Protection Act to strengthen management of dogs involved in biting incidents.
According to the amendment, even dogs not classified as dangerous can be designated as dangerous dogs through an aggression assessment if they cause serious harm to people or other pets. Additionally, elderly leisure welfare facilities and facilities for the disabled will be added to the list of places where dangerous dogs are prohibited.
Regarding the legislative intent, Representative Ahn stated, "In an era of 15 million pet families who consider pets as family members, we must create an environment where both people and pets can be happy," adding, "This reflects the social demand for redefining dangerous dogs to prevent repeated dog bite incidents."
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