70 Dangerous Dogs Escape? Confused... Only Three Caught Before Dispatch

Daejeon Dong-gu Disaster Alert Mishap
Over 70 Animals Escaped → 3 Animals Escaped
Farm Owner Captured All Before Dispatch

In Daejeon Dong-gu, a disaster alert was sent out claiming that about 70 dangerous dogs had escaped, only to be canceled later in a confusing incident. In reality, only three dangerous dogs had escaped, and the owner had already captured them and put them back in the enclosure before the police and 119 emergency responders arrived.

A farm where three dogs escaped. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 8th, Yonhap News reported that Dong-gu in Daejeon sent out a disaster alert message stating that about 70 dangerous dogs had escaped from a farm located in Samgwe-dong. The message read, "About 70 dangerous dogs have escaped from the dog farm. Residents are advised to avoid the area and evacuate immediately to a safe place." However, 25 minutes later, Dong-gu sent another disaster alert message stating that all escaped dogs had been recovered. It was also later revealed that the number of escaped dogs was not about 70 but three.

Earlier that day, around 9:43 a.m., a report was made to 112 saying, "There is a big dog roaming around and it looks like it might bite. It is dangerous." The police immediately requested joint response from 119, and during the call between the 119 control center personnel and the reporter, it was additionally confirmed that 70 dogs had escaped, and this information was shared with Dong-gu. Subsequently, the Dong-gu disaster management department arbitrarily included the term "dangerous dogs" in the disaster evacuation message for residents' safety. During this process, Dong-gu did not conduct a separate fact-check.

Disaster alert sent by Dong-gu, Daejeon. Please note that the farm location has been pixelated.
[Photo by National Disaster Safety Portal]

The escaped dogs were reportedly captured by the farm owner before the police and 119 responders arrived at the scene. Due to unclear statements from the dog owner, there was initial confusion over whether two or three dogs had escaped. After a final on-site investigation, Dong-gu concluded that three dangerous dogs had escaped the enclosure.

The farm in question is not a professional dog breeding farm but a regular farm with an enclosure, raising about 30 dogs including large and small breeds. It was said that dogs frequently escaped, causing anxiety among residents. Currently, Dong-gu is reviewing whether the farm owner violated the Farmland Act by failing to report raising about 30 dogs to administrative authorities. A Dong-gu official said, "We used the term 'dangerous dogs' to raise awareness among village residents and nearby hikers," and added, "We regret the confusion caused to citizens as a result."