"There Are Concerns About Bite Incidents
as Packs of Stray Dogs Roam Nearby Hills"
Residents in the area around Geomdan New Town in Incheon are living in fear due to the frequent appearances of packs of stray dogs.
On the 23rd, Yonhap News reported, citing Seo-gu, Incheon, that there have been 73 complaints related to stray dogs centered around Geomdan New Town in Seo-gu up until the 21st of this year.
Most of the complaints demand capture measures, expressing concerns about safety due to packs of stray dogs roaming near their homes. Mr. Kim, a resident of Aradong, narrowly escaped after a stray dog suddenly charged at him while passing through a park on his way home last month.
He said, "The stray dog barked threateningly and chased me, causing me to fall. I have seen many stray dogs around, but this was the first time something like this happened."
Especially for parents with young children and dog owners, the presence of stray dogs is perceived as a significant threat. Last year, a pack of stray dogs killed two goats and about 20 chicks at a farm in Seo-gu, further increasing anxiety.
One complainant pointed out, "There are many young children in the apartment complex, but stray dogs roam the nearby hills, raising concerns about bite incidents," and added, "Prompt action is necessary." On the 17th, in Wanggil-dong, a middle-aged woman walking her pet dog had to quickly evade a stray dog, leading to a request for the capture of stray dogs before any human casualties occur.
According to Incheon City, the number of stray dogs captured in 10 districts of Incheon has surged over the past three years: 100 in 2022, 246 in 2023, and 429 last year. Seo-gu, where Geomdan New Town is located, accounted for 147 captures last year, representing 34% of the total.
Seo-gu believes that complaints arise as the activity range of stray dogs overlaps with residential areas amid the continuous influx of population due to the development of Geomdan New Town. Although they are currently responding by outsourcing to professional capture companies, they face difficulties because stray dogs have wide activity ranges and often avoid capture traps.
A Seo-gu official stated, "We are making efforts to capture stray dogs every year using our own budget through supplementary budgets," and added, "We will devise additional measures to ensure residents' safety."
Meanwhile, in Pohang, Gyeongbuk, incidents of stray dogs killing livestock have occurred repeatedly, prompting the city to take countermeasures. According to Pohang City, at the end of January, about 10 out of 80 goats died at a farm in Gongdang-ri, Donghae-myeon, Nam-gu. Recently, there have been continuous reports of various livestock, including chickens, being harmed by stray dogs in Pohang. In response, the city has assigned the Animal Protection Center to capture or rescue stray dogs that have become feral and formed an animal complaint response team to support capture and rescue operations.
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