"I Was Planning To Go Over Lunar New Year, But Now I'm Scared"...Dog Park Where Bread With Fishhooks Was Found

Unstaffed trial operation for one month this month
Naju City finds three pieces of bread in trash can

Bread pieces pierced by fishhooks were found at a dog park in Naju, South Jeolla Province, prompting the local government to investigate the facts of the case.

According to the Naju city government and Yonhap News on the 15th, at around 11:00 a.m. the previous day, a complaint was filed stating that "there are pieces of bread with fishhooks stuck in them" at the Naju Dog Park located in Geumcheon-myeon. A subsequent on-site inspection by the city found three pieces of bread with sharp fishhooks embedded in them inside a trash can within the park. Some additional bread crumbs were also found in the area designated for large dogs, but no fishhooks were discovered in those crumbs.

Bread pierced by a fishhook found at a dog park in Naju, South Jeolla Province. Screenshot from social networking service (SNS).

The Naju city government believes that someone intentionally inserted fishhooks into the bread and left them in the park, and it plans to analyze closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage while also asking the Naju Police Station to launch an investigation.

Earlier the same day, a dog owner in Naju had posted on a social networking service (SNS) that they had found about 10 pieces of bread with fishhooks in the same location. The poster uploaded photos of the bread pierced by fishhooks along with a view of the dog park. Internet users who saw the post reacted by saying, "What if an unsuspecting dog had swallowed it?" and "I was planning to take my dog there over the holidays, but now I'm really scared." In response, the Naju city government plans to contact the poster to ascertain the situation at the time.

The dog park in question is a facility that the Naju city government began operating on a trial basis on the 1st of this month for one month as part of its efforts to create pet-friendly spaces, and it covers an area of 1,540 pyeong. It is currently operating without on-site staff, but starting next month, when it officially opens, the city plans to install a QR code at the entrance so that only residents who have registered their animals with the local government can enter. An official from the Naju city government said, "During the trial operation period, anyone could enter the park," adding, "We have now taken measures to allow entry only after verifying identities through a QR code."