A YouTuber's Personal Opinion on Adopting a Stray Dog Sparks Debate
"Ultimately Decided to Take Responsibility for a Precious Life"
Recently, a YouTuber who traveled to Namhae Island shared a story about adopting a stray dog they happened to meet. The stray dog ran hundreds of meters chasing after the YouTuber as they drove away, and upon seeing this, the YouTuber ultimately decided to adopt the dog.
The YouTuber 'Ppokki and Pposuni,' who posts content related to pets, recently uploaded a video titled "I Adopted a Stray Dog." The YouTuber said, "I was fishing on Namhae Island when a puppy came over and stayed by my side for several hours. At first, I thought it was a neighborhood dog, but upon closer look, it seemed like a stray. It was very affectionate but seemed unable to bark."
They continued, "I have a one-year-old baby and a retriever at home, so although it was sad, I thought it would be okay and started to leave, but the dog followed me for several hundred meters," adding, "It was very dangerous when it reached the main road."
The YouTuber said, "I had no choice but to stop the car and asked the villagers to take the dog back to where it originally was, but they said it was an 'unknown dog.' I had many concerns because adopting it means taking responsibility for life, but with my wife's permission, I decided to take responsibility for this small and precious life."
As of the 16th, the video has recorded 1.22 million views. The YouTuber named the stray dog 'Pposuni' and reportedly took her to a veterinary hospital for a health checkup. He said, "(Pposuni) had some health issues, but after finishing all the treatments, she started a happy life," and added, "Our family will live happily together."
Netizens who saw the story responded with comments such as, "The desperate look of the puppy brought tears to my eyes. I hope they live happily together," "How much love must she have needed to follow for hundreds of meters, unable to forget the brief affection she received. It's heartbreaking," and "It must have been a difficult decision, but I applaud the owner's choice."
Meanwhile, according to an independent analysis of the Animal Protection Management System (APMS) by the Animal Freedom Coalition, the number of abandoned animals (including lost animals) in South Korea last year was recorded at 112,226. Among all abandoned animals, 71.3% (79,976) were dogs, and cats accounted for 27.4% (30,737). Other abandoned animals besides dogs and cats made up 1.3%.
Abandoning animals can result in a fine of up to 3 million KRW under the Animal Protection Act. If the abandoned animal is a dangerous dog, the offender may face up to 2 years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million KRW. However, since punishment requires witnesses to secure evidence and report it, actual cases leading to penalties are reportedly rare.
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