A video showing a man strangling a dog kept at a hair salon has been released, sparking public outrage. The controversy grew even larger after it was revealed that the man is a church pastor.
A, who runs a hair salon in Sarim-dong, Changwon, Gyeongnam, posted a 30-second CCTV video on his social media on the 7th, claiming, "A customer abused my dog."
The video shows a man sitting on a salon sofa, seemingly waiting for his turn. The man briefly pets the dog next to the sofa, then suddenly starts strangling its neck. When the dog tries to escape, the man presses the dog's head more forcefully against a cushion. This behavior continued for about 20 seconds, and the dog struggled painfully before the man released it, after which the dog moved to another spot.
At the time, A said he was washing another customer's hair and was unaware of the situation. He said, "After the perpetrator left, the dog hid in a corner and showed signs of anxiety. The dog was coughing severely, so I checked the CCTV just in case."
A also expressed anger, saying, "The perpetrator is a church pastor. He visited the salon for the first time, did that to someone else's dog, and did not apologize even once. He still shamelessly insists he did nothing wrong."
He added, "He even uploads worship videos on YouTube as a pastor, but behind the scenes, he abused the dog without the owner's knowledge and then looked around as if searching for the CCTV." He appealed, "Please help so that a person with such a creepy appearance cannot live as a pastor without consequences."
Netizens who heard the news responded with comments such as, "It's even more chilling because he's a religious person," "Just watching the video makes me so angry," and "Please make this public and ensure he is punished."
Later, A announced on his social media that he had filed a complaint against the man at the Changwon Jungbu Police Station. However, he lamented, "Even though I have the video, the police did not even ask to see it and told me to just file a complaint at the civil affairs office and leave." He added, "I heard that in many cases, even severe abuse does not result in harsh punishment." Fortunately, he said there is no serious health issue with the dog.
Under current law, those who abuse animals can face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won. However, since there are no sentencing guidelines from the Supreme Court, the severity of punishment varies depending on the judge's values and discretion. In response to criticism, the Supreme Court has decided to establish sentencing guidelines for animal abuse crimes by 2025.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
