Six Hunting Dogs... Arrest Warrant for Owner in Mungyeong Dog Bite Incident
Political Circles Push to Amend Law Mandating Muzzle Use for Medium and Large Dogs
Experts: "Need to Create a Culture Where Pet Owners Voluntarily Manage Their Dogs"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Soyoung] Recently, dog bite incidents have been occurring frequently, but in some cases, the victims were bitten by dogs that are not required to wear muzzles, raising calls for improvements in the system. Additionally, dog owners' lack of safety awareness has also come under scrutiny. Experts emphasize that active management by pet owners is ultimately necessary to prevent accidents.
On the evening of the 25th of last month, a mother and daughter (in their 60s and 40s) were seriously injured, including cerebral hemorrhage, after being bitten by six dogs (three Greyhounds and three mixed breeds) unleashed by Mr. A while walking on a trail in Mungyeong City, Gyeongbuk Province. At the time of the incident, the dogs were not wearing leashes or harnesses, nor muzzles, and the owner was reportedly following behind on a cultivator.
On the 29th of last month, Mungyeong City fined Mr. A 1.2 million won in total, imposing 200,000 won per dog, for violating the Animal Protection Act by not using leashes while taking out six dogs.
The victim's family expressed outrage, claiming it was not a simple accident but a horrific incident that could have resulted in death. They called for improvements to related regulations. On the 30th of last month, the family appealed on the Blue House's national petition platform, requesting, "Please legally mandate muzzle-wearing for large dogs that are not registered as dangerous breeds." They also pointed out, "The owner did not stop the dogs despite the emergency situation," calling it "attempted murder, not just negligence causing injury." Furthermore, they urged, "Please make it legally mandatory for large dogs not registered as dangerous breeds to wear leashes and muzzles."
In connection with this, on the 3rd, the Sangju branch of Daegu District Court issued an arrest warrant for Mr. A during a pre-trial detention hearing, stating, "The case is serious and the charges are substantiated." Mr. A reportedly stated during police investigation that "he did his best, but it was impossible to control all six dogs."
Meanwhile, voices criticizing the owner's sense of responsibility are also strong. University student Lee (24) said, "I once encountered a somewhat large dog on the street. For some reason, it was not on a leash, so I walked around it, but the owner seemed offended," adding, "It may be their beloved child, but I wish they understood that some people are afraid to pass by."
Netizens who encountered dog bite incidents responded with comments such as, "The size of the dog is not the issue. If there is biting behavior, a muzzle must be worn," "Please mandate muzzles regardless of breed during walks," and "Change fines to penalties, don't raise dogs if you can't manage them, and severely punish owners if their dogs cause accidents."
Such dog bite incidents occur frequently. According to 119 emergency transport data, more than 2,000 dog bite cases occur annually. In June, a woman in her 50s died after being bitten by a dog while walking in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.
According to the 2020 National Awareness Survey on Animal Protection by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, there are 6.38 million pet-owning households nationwide, an increase of 470,000 households in one year. The overall pet ownership rate is 27.7%. As we enter the full-fledged pet era, there is a growing call to find ways to live safely together in society.
Given the situation, opinions are emerging to expand the breeds required to wear muzzles. Under the Animal Protection Act, the breeds required to wear muzzles are Tosa Inu, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and Rottweiler. Although Greyhounds, which attacked the mother and daughter, are a type of hunting dog, they are not subject to mandatory muzzle-wearing.
The political sphere has also begun preparations to prevent further accidents. On the 31st of last month, Lim E-ja, a member of the People Power Party representing Sangju and Mungyeong, announced plans to push for amendments to related laws to mandate muzzle-wearing for medium and large dogs.
She pointed out, "The current Animal Protection Act only requires muzzles for five dangerous breeds, including Rottweilers, Tosa Inu, and Pit Bull Terriers, which account for only 1% of domestic companion dogs," adding, "The problem is that most recent dog bite incidents, including the Mungyeong case, have been caused by medium and large dogs not required to wear muzzles."
She continued, "Dogs can attack people or other animals regardless of breed, and this blind spot in the law was once again confirmed through the Mungyeong incident," expressing her determination to amend the law, saying, "If the muzzle-wearing obligation for medium and large dogs had been implemented earlier, the recent tragic dog bite incidents could have been prevented."
How about other countries? The United States and the United Kingdom strictly regulate ownership and management of dangerous dogs. The U.S. has introduced a licensing system to manage dangerous dog ownership, while the U.K. requires court approval for owning dangerous dogs.
If a dog bite incident causes injury or death, euthanasia may be carried out. In most U.S. states, if an animal is judged to be the direct cause of death, it may be euthanized or seized by animal protection organizations.
In the U.K., the Dangerous Dogs Act of 1991 restricts the breeding of dangerous dogs, and if violated or if the dog injures a person, the owner may be ordered to have the dog destroyed or lose ownership rights.
In this regard, the government plans to establish a system by 2022 to assess the aggressiveness and temperament of dangerous dogs and impose obligations such as behavior correction or euthanasia orders based on the results. Dangerous dogs refer to those that have caused bite incidents or threatened others.
The government also plans to mandate animal registration and owner insurance enrollment for animals registered as dangerous dogs by 2021, targeting animal producers, sellers, and importers.
By 2022, import restrictions and a permit system for raising dogs in multi-unit housing will be promoted, and to prevent additional damage, a database (DB) of dog bite incidents will be established by sharing information with related agencies such as police and fire departments.
Experts emphasize that responsible management of companion dogs by owners is the best way to prevent accidents. Animal trainer Lee Chan-jong appeared on KBS's 'Anchor Invitation Seat' and diagnosed, "(The continuation of dog bite incidents) is because people generally lack understanding about dogs." He suggested, "Rather than expanding the list of dangerous breeds, the focus should be on education, imposing strong penalties for accidents, and establishing regulations so that pet owners voluntarily take responsibility and manage their dogs."
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