"Cat with Severed Leg, Puppy in a Bag"... Animal Abuse Up 3.7 Times in 5 Years

[Animal Crisis Era] ① Increasing Brutal Animal Abuse Crimes

Serial Killing of Stray Cats in Seoul's Gwanak and Mapo
Some Severed Bodies Displayed Like Exhibits
973 Violations of Animal Protection Act Last Year
3.7 Times More Than 264 in 2015

Stray cat
Photo by Asia Economy DB

[Asia Economy Reporters Byungdon Yoo, Seungyoon Song] On the 22nd of last month, a dead cat was found in Nangok-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul. The cat was found in a gruesome state with its abdomen mutilated. It was reported that the cat was also pregnant at the time. On the 30th of the same month, a kitten with its right hind leg mutilated was found dead in a parking lot in Sinsa-dong, Gwanak-gu. There were clear signs that someone had intentionally inflicted physical pain.

Similar incidents occurred in the Mapo-gu area during the same month. Severed cat carcasses were repeatedly discovered. Some of the severed body parts were even placed conspicuously in public places. A representative from the animal protection organization Kara, who received reports from citizens about the cat killings in Mapo-gu, stated, "The cuts were clean and there was no bloodstain at all, making it unlikely that the carcasses were cut by other animals." The police have formed a dedicated investigation team and are tracking suspects. It has not yet been confirmed whether the repeated crimes were committed by the same perpetrator.

Social changes such as the increase in single-person households are leading to a golden age for companion animals. There are reports that the number of people raising companion animals reaches 15 million. Along with the increase in companion animals around us, the side effects of hatred and abuse toward them have emerged as a new social issue that must be addressed.

In fact, animal abuse crimes have been increasing every year. According to the National Police Agency, the number of people sent to prosecution for violating the Animal Protection Act at police stations nationwide increased significantly each year: 264 in 2015, 331 in 2016, 459 in 2017, and 592 in 2018. Last year, 973 people were referred to prosecution for violating the Animal Protection Act. This represents more than a threefold increase over five years.

The body of a kitten found in the Mapo-gu area. / Photo by Animal Rights Action Kara

According to the current Animal Protection Act, those who abuse animals to death can face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won. This is the strengthened penalty standard since March 2018. Previously, the penalty was imprisonment for up to one year or a fine of up to 10 million won. The Animal Protection Act defines animal abuse not only as causing death but also includes acts that cause unnecessary physical pain and stress to animals without justifiable reason, neglecting or failing to take appropriate measures against starvation and disease, and other such acts.

However, cases where such abuse leads to actual punishment are extremely rare. During the same period, only three suspects were prosecuted while in custody, and only four cases resulted in imprisonment. Last year, a man in his 40s in Gunsan, Jeonbuk, who shot a stray cat in the head with an arrow causing blindness, was recently sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year probation. A man in his 50s who serially killed two cats the same year was summarily prosecuted with a fine of 5 million won by the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office. However, the court judged the case to be serious and sent him to a formal trial, where he was recently sentenced to four months in prison.

A police official said, "Even if someone is initially booked on suspicion of animal abuse, it is realistically difficult to take strong measures such as detention and investigation of the suspect," adding, "This is because the sentences are low and there are many cases where it is ambiguous to apply the law unless it is clearly abuse."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.