"Can't Even Take a Walk in Peace" Pet Snack Terror, Is This Okay? [Kim Suwan's Animal Report]

40s Arrested for Distributing 'Needle Snacks' in Apartment Complex
Incident of Pet Dog Injured by 'Nailed Snack' in Suwon Park
Owner Outraged, "Punishment Too Lenient"
Expert: "Lack of Awareness of Animal Abuse Crime... Due to Light Punishment"

Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] Recently, a man in his 40s was booked by the police for scattering pet snacks containing needles along the roads of an apartment complex, citing the noise of barking dogs as the reason. This incident has sparked growing calls for tougher penalties against animal hate crimes.

Previously, there was an incident in a park in Suwon City where a pet dog was injured after eating snacks embedded with nails, but the perpetrator was not caught due to insufficient evidence, leading to criticism that hate crimes are continuing unabated.

Although hate crimes against pets persist, actual punishments are rare, highlighting the urgent need for countermeasures. In particular, if a pet dog consumes snacks containing nails or needles, it can suffer serious injuries or even death, so caution is strongly advised.

Experts analyze that the repeated animal hate crimes are a consequence of lenient punishments for animal abuse. They point out that society fails to recognize acts causing physical pain to animals as serious social crimes.

Crimes involving cruel acts such as putting nails or needles into snacks for pets continue unabated. The Ansan Sangnok Police Station in Gyeonggi Province announced on the 24th that they booked a man in his 40s, identified as A, without detention on suspicion of attempted property damage. Since no pet was injured after eating the needle-laced snacks scattered by A, charges under the Animal Protection Act were not applied.

According to the police, on the 10th, A put needles into sausage snacks for dogs and scattered them throughout the apartment complex where he lives.

This act was uncovered after the management office received a report from a resident who found needles in the sausages while walking their dog, and subsequently requested a police investigation.

During the police investigation, A reportedly stated, "The dogs were barking so much that it was noisy, so I did it." Fortunately, no pet was injured after eating the snacks scattered by A.

This is not the first hate crime against pets. In October 2018, an incident occurred in a park in Gwonseon-gu, Suwon City, where a pet dog was injured after eating snacks embedded with nails.

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According to the Suwon Western Police Station, on October 7, 2018, around 2 p.m., B, who was walking their dog on the lawn inside the old Rural Development Administration in Seodun-dong, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon City, rushed to a nearby animal hospital after the dog showed symptoms of breathing difficulty and bleeding around its mouth after picking up and eating something.

An X-ray examination revealed a nail approximately 5 cm long in the dog's stomach, but fortunately, there was no threat to its life.

Notably, in the same location, nail-embedded dog snacks were found in August of that year, prompting a police investigation. However, since there were no victims at the time and it was difficult to secure related evidence, the case was closed without further action.

This was an intentional crime targeting an unspecified number of pet dogs, but difficulties in securing evidence have hindered tracking down the suspect.

Scattering snacks containing nails or needles that animals eat is a clear animal hate crime and an act of animal abuse. Recently, the methods have become more cunning, malicious, and repetitive, making the crime more serious.

As a result, pet owners unanimously call for stronger punishments for crimes targeting pets. The presence of snacks embedded with needles or nails around parks or lawns where dogs are walked is seen as intentional behavior.

Kim (28), an office worker who has been raising a dog for two years, said, "I can't believe someone would put needles inside dog snacks. Just thinking about a dog eating that is horrifying and keeps me awake at night." She added, "Since they deliberately scattered it around walking paths, it must be a planned crime targeting dogs," expressing her outrage.

She continued, "I heard the person was caught by the police, but I expect the punishment to be weak. It’s a reality that even a fine would be considered fortunate. It feels like anything can be done to animals because they are not humans. Someone who abuses animals wouldn’t refrain from hurting people either. I hope there will be no more leniency toward animal abuse. I want harsher punishments," she urged.

Another pet owner, Jung (26), said, "I wonder if I can no longer walk my dog with peace of mind. Honestly, any dog would eat a tasty snack if it’s there." She lamented, "The perpetrator knew this and put weapons inside delicious snacks. It’s infuriating to think such a horrific crime will end with a slap on the wrist."

Photo by Yonhap News

Under the current Animal Protection Act, anyone who causes injury using physical or chemical methods such as tools or drugs can face up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won. Additionally, if an animal is killed by cruel methods, the offender can be sentenced to up to three years in prison or fined up to 30 million won, reflecting strengthened related laws.

The problem is that despite brutal abuse, cases of punishment remain relatively few. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, among a total of 1,546 animal abuse cases booked from 2017 to May 2018, only one case resulted in imprisonment.

According to data released by the National Police Agency in 2018, 575 animal abuse cases were investigated by the police from 2015 to 2017. Of these, 70 were punished, but 68 received fines and 2 received suspended sentences.

Experts urge that crimes against animals, the most vulnerable in society, require aggravated punishment.

Lee Wonbok, head of the Korea Animal Protection Association, said, "Although the Animal Protection Act has been strengthened, the actual rate of imprisonment is less than 0.1%." He added, "The FBI in the United States classifies animal abuse as a social crime, collecting and monitoring data. Also, when horrific animal abuse occurs, imprisonment is the standard. It is time for Korea to change perceptions through aggravated punishment for animal abuse."

He emphasized the need to implement mandatory education to raise awareness that animal abuse is a serious social crime. He said, "For a mature pet culture in Korea, it is necessary to provide education not only to pet owners but also to the general public from an early age. If it becomes part of the formal education curriculum and is learned systematically, animal abuse can be reduced," he added.

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