Couple Who Kicked 4-Month-Old Puppy with Their Feet... Fined After Dispute with Owner

Husband fined 1.5 million won, wife fined 300,000 won
17 trials last year for dog owners' assault and verbal abuse

A couple who kicked a dog that ran at them on the street and then assaulted the owners after an argument were sentenced to fines.

On the 28th, according to the legal community, Min Seong-cheol, presiding judge of Criminal Division 3 at the Seoul Eastern District Court, sentenced the husband, Mr. Lee (42), who was indicted for assault causing injury and assault, to a fine of 1.5 million won, and the wife, Ms. Shin (38), who was indicted for assault, to a fine of 300,000 won.

Bichon. Stock photo unrelated to the incident.
[Photo by Pixabay]

The couple, while walking on the street in Songpa-gu, Seoul, around 12:40 a.m. on March 6 last year, kicked a 4-month-old small dog, a Bichon, that ran barking toward them, and then verbally abused the owner, Mr. A.

In response, Mr. A grabbed Mr. Lee by the collar and pulled him, leading to an argument between the couple and Mr. A. Mr. Lee was prosecuted for assault, including grabbing Mr. A’s collar, attempting to throw him down, twisting his arm, and pushing him. During the fight, Mr. A’s family suffered injuries including the loss of the 3rd and 5th toenails on the right foot.

The wife, Ms. Shin, was charged with assault for pulling Mr. A’s head during the dispute.

Judge Min stated the sentencing reasons, saying, "It appears that the dog running toward the couple was the cause, and considering that the extent of the injuries was not severe."

As the population of companion dog owners exceeds 10 million, related crimes are also increasing. In particular, some citizens with negative perceptions of companion dogs often end up in court after attacking dog owners during walks.

According to the Supreme Court, from January to September last year, there were a total of 17 cases where dog owners were assaulted or verbally abused by passersby while walking their dogs, leading to trials. Most of these disputes arose simply because the individuals were with their dogs without any special reason.

Considering that most of these incidents rarely proceed to court and are usually resolved at the police dispatch stage, it is estimated that there are many more similar cases.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, as of last year, 25.4% of households in South Korea reported having companion animals, confirming that about 13.06 million people are raising pets. Among them, approximately 9.87 million people (75.6%) live with dogs.