Why the Dog Was Put in the Refrigerator: "Like a Daughter to Me, Worried Her Illness Would Worsen in the Heat"

Police Investigate on Suspicion of Animal Abuse
Expert: "No Apparent Intent, But Caution Needed"

Amid controversy over animal abuse after a live puppy was placed inside a running refrigerator at a restaurant in Busan, the dog's owner explained, "The air conditioner was broken, and I was worried that my dog's chronic illness would worsen." On July 30, an animal rights group posted a photo on social media showing a puppy sitting inside a refrigerator at a pizza restaurant in Busan. The photo was taken and shared online by a customer who visited the restaurant, leading to its widespread circulation.

A photo showing a pet dog placed inside a commercial refrigerator at a restaurant in Busan sparked controversy over animal abuse. Online community

Busan Jungbu Police Station also received a report of suspected animal abuse at around 8:10 p.m. on July 29. The report stated that a pet dog was inside the bottom compartment of a pizza restaurant's refrigerator, raising suspicions of abuse by the owner. A police official said, "Upon inspection, the refrigerator temperature was not extremely low," but added, "We plan to investigate the owner for possible violations of the Animal Protection Act."

As the controversy grew, Ms. A, a woman in her 60s who is both the restaurant owner and the dog's owner, told Yonhap News, "I did this out of concern for the health of 'Cookie' (the dog's name), who suffers from acute heart disease." Ms. A explained, "Our Cookie had just been discharged after being hospitalized at an animal hospital for acute heart disease for the past week."

She emphasized, "The hospital told me that heat could be fatal for Cookie, but the store's air conditioner broke down, so I put a cushion in the bottom compartment of the refrigerator and let her stay there for a short while, taking her in and out repeatedly." She added, "It was my mistake to put Cookie in a refrigerator used to store sauces for human consumption. I was just worried that our Cookie, who is like a daughter to me, could be harmed in the heat. I sincerely apologize to our customers."

Shim Inseop, head of the animal protection group Life, stated, "To apply charges of animal abuse, it is important to determine whether the owner acted with intent to harm the animal." He continued, "Based on the current explanation, there does not appear to be intent to abuse the animal, but the owner should exercise greater caution when it comes to placing a pet in a refrigerator." Experts advised that elderly dogs with acute heart disease are highly vulnerable to the recent heat waves and require special care. However, they recommended using cooling pads rather than a refrigerator if the air conditioner is broken.