Ongoing 'Dog Bite Incidents'... Is It Enough to Only Beware of 'Maenggyeon'? [Hello? Animal]

Four Unleashed Hounds Attack Poodle on Walk
Dog Bite Incidents Frequent Even Without 'Muzzle' Requirement
"Any Dog Can Show Aggression... Owner Responsibility Is Crucial"

Pet dog. Photo is not related to any specific expression in the article. / Photo by Getty Images Bank

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Although the number of households raising companion animals has increased and social interest in animal rights has grown, appropriate pet etiquette (pet+etiquette) is not being observed, leading to repeated accidents both big and small. Recently, another "dog bite" incident occurred where a medium-sized dog attacked and killed a small dog and injured a person. These medium-sized dogs were not subject to mandatory muzzle-wearing. However, some point out that if the dog owners had recognized that their pets could exhibit threatening behavior toward others, such human casualties could have been prevented.

On the 3rd, an accident occurred on a road in Ssangchon-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju, where four medium-sized dogs attacked and killed a small dog. The four medium-sized dogs were hounds used for hunting and were not wearing leashes or muzzles.

Video footage of the incident released by Channel A captured the urgent situation where dog owner A was fleeing while holding a poodle to escape the hound pack's attack. Despite A's desperate attempt to run away, the hound pack chased and surrounded A, then attacked the poodle. Eventually, one of the pack bit and snatched the poodle A was holding.

The poodle was taken to an animal hospital but ultimately died, and A sustained bite injuries to the fingers and wrist. It is known that the hound pack ran out while the owner was putting on the leash in front of the elevator to take them for a walk. The primary cause of the accident was the owner losing hold of the leash, but if safety measures such as muzzles had been in place to prepare for such situations, the accident harming another companion dog might have been prevented.

As the number of households with pets increases, the importance of pet etiquette is also growing. / Yonhap News

Hound breeds are not included in the five types of dangerous dogs (Dosa dog, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Rottweiler) specified by the Animal Protection Act, so they are not subject to mandatory muzzle-wearing. However, the problem is that dog bite incidents involving breeds not designated as dangerous dogs are also occurring frequently.

For example, in May last year, a woman in her 50s died after being bitten by a dog in a mountain area in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province. The dog was a mixed breed of Pungsan dog and Samoyed, which is not classified as a dangerous dog. In August of the same year, in Yangju City, an incident occurred where a large dog known to be a gentle breed, a Golden Retriever, bit a 6-year-old girl and a woman in her 40s.

So, is mandating muzzle-wearing for all dogs the only way to prevent accidents? Experts emphasize that the fundamental way to prevent accidents is to improve dog owners' sense of responsibility.

Lee Wonbok, head of the Korea Animal Protection Union, said, "Even if a dog is not classified as a dangerous breed, it can show aggression in certain situations. The belief that the dog I raise is not dangerous is mistaken," adding, "However, forcing all dogs to wear muzzles is neither right nor feasible. But if my dog has aggressive tendencies, taking safety measures to prevent harm to others is the responsible behavior of a dog owner."

As dog bite incidents continue to occur, the National Assembly recently passed an amendment to the Animal Protection Act to introduce a "dangerous dog breeding permit system" to prevent such incidents. The amendment requires obtaining permission from the mayor or governor to breed dangerous dogs and allows breeds not currently classified as dangerous dogs to be designated as such after temperament evaluation.

Lee said, "The five dangerous dog breeds defined in the current law were not determined through scientific research. They were designated as dangerous because they appear threatening and aggressive to people, but some dogs that seem docile can also have aggressive tendencies," adding, "This amendment is positive in that it can legally cover these various cases. However, social problems cannot be solved by legal amendments alone. Dog owners' sense of responsibility must also improve."