Beagle Rescue Network Exposes 'Major Illegal Trader' Professor
Animals Produced in Illegal Breeding Farms Falsified and Auctioned
All Birthdays Over 61 Days... "Used Arbitrarily"
A man who is a professor in the Department of Companion Animal Studies at a university and also serves as a director of a companion animal association has been revealed to have been operating an illegal auction house, causing a stir.
On the 20th, the animal organization Beagle Rescue Network (Bigu Network) issued a statement titled "University Companion Animal Studies Professor Operating an Illegal Auction House" through social networking services (SNS).
Bigu Network stated, "We have been conducting a confidential investigation into illegal animal breeding facilities, which have been thoroughly veiled, and the auction houses that mediate and distribute these animals," and added, "We uncovered how animals produced in illegal breeding facilities flow into pet shops and who the mastermind behind the illegal trade and distribution is."
They continued, "Since this person is a professor who teaches students and is a leader in society, we judged that revealing the name of someone who encouraged all kinds of illegal activities is more beneficial to society," and disclosed the professor’s affiliation and real name. According to Bigu Network, he was Mr. Hong, a professor at a university in Daejeon.
According to JTBC reports and Bigu Network on the same day, Mr. Hong took companion animals produced at unauthorized illegal breeding facilities and disguised them as animals born at officially registered 'animal production businesses' before putting them up for auction. It is known that there are more than 40 such illegal breeding facilities.
There are also allegations that Mr. Hong forged the ‘Animal Individual Management Cards’ required for auctions. According to the Animal Protection Act, puppies under 60 days old cannot be traded, but the information on the individual management cards was manipulated to show all animals as being at least 61 days old.
Park In-jong, Secretary General of the Companion Animal Producers Association, told JTBC, "(Mr. Hong) would arbitrarily write birthdays when taking dogs," and added, "There are 300 to 400 puppies born daily; how could all their birthdays be the same?"
However, Mr. Hong stated, "I wrote the cards on behalf of (elderly) producers," and claimed, "The producers actually deceived me and sold the animals."
"Imported Breeding Dogs from China... Sold for 10 Million Won Each" Allegation
Yuseong Dongyang Auction House, represented by Mr. Hong. [Image source=Beagle Rescue Network Instagram capture]
There was also suspicion that Mr. Hong imported breeding dogs (‘jonggyeon’) from China and sold them to illegal breeding facilities in Korea for an average of 10 million won per dog.
Bigu Network said, "Mr. Hong brought in breeding dogs from China at a low price and sold them for a large sum without leaving any sales records," and added, "We plan to report him to the National Tax Service for tax evasion and request a special investigation into auction fees amounting to 10 billion won."
Bigu Network reported that they have filed criminal charges against two auction houses, Daejeon Yuseong Dongyang Auction House and Cheonan Cheonan Dongyang Auction House, where Mr. Hong is the representative, for violations of the Animal Protection Act and forgery of private documents. They also identified 48 illegal breeding facilities that distributed companion animals through these auction houses and took criminal action against them.
Kim Se-hyun, director of Bigu Network, said, "The reason illegal companion animal producers could continue production was because there were illegal auction houses that helped and laundered their distribution," and argued, "To break this vicious cycle, local governments must conduct a full investigation of the 18 auction houses that are hotbeds of illegality."
He added, "An investigation is also needed into the individual cards of each companion animal sold at the auction houses and which breeding facilities they came from before arriving at the auction houses."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
