"Increase in Abandonment" vs "Mandatory Strengthening Measures" Controversy Over Mandatory Enrollment in Dangerous Dog Liability Insurance [Kim Suwan's Animal Report]

Government Strengthens Compensation Safety Net for Dangerous Dog Incidents
Mandatory Enrollment from February 12 Next Year
"Only a Post-Treatment Measure" vs "Raises Awareness"
Experts: "Most Dog Bite Incidents Due to Owner Negligence"

People who own dangerous dogs must enroll in dangerous dog liability insurance by February 12 of next year, or they will face a fine of up to 3 million won. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] As dog bite incidents increase every year, the government announced that starting February next year, it will mandate liability insurance enrollment for owners of dangerous dogs, sparking conflicts surrounding this measure.

Some express concerns that this policy might lead to an increase in the abandonment of dangerous dogs, while others believe it will help strengthen mandatory measures. There are also criticisms that the types and criteria for dangerous dogs are vague, reducing the policy's effectiveness. Experts point out that since most dog bite incidents occur due to owners' negligence, education for pet owners is urgently needed.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 17th a legislative notice for amendments to the Animal Protection Act Enforcement Decree and Enforcement Rules, detailing the mandatory enrollment of liability insurance for dangerous dogs. The amendments will take effect on February 12 next year.

According to the current Animal Protection Act, dangerous dogs are defined as "Tosa Inu, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Rottweiler, and their mixed breeds." However, dogs trained for public purposes such as service dogs for the disabled and police dogs are excluded from this category. This regulation was decided after referencing cases from other countries and expert discussions.

Under this regulation, those who violate the insurance enrollment obligation will be fined up to 3 million KRW by the mayor or district head. The first violation incurs a fine of 1 million KRW, the second 2 million KRW, and the third 3 million KRW.

This policy is a response to the increasing number of dog bite incidents caused by dangerous dogs, coupled with criticisms that compensation for victims has been insufficient. Many large or dangerous dogs were previously unable to obtain insurance.

Photo by Yonhap News

The problem is that mandatory insurance enrollment to prevent dog bite incidents may instead encourage the abandonment of dangerous dogs. There are concerns that owners might abandon their dogs to avoid enrolling in insurance.

As a result, voices of concern regarding the mandatory liability insurance enrollment are growing louder. A member of a mom caf? posted on the bulletin board, "I saw an article saying that dangerous dog owners will be required to get liability insurance. But surely, some owners will be reluctant to enroll," adding, "In that case, might they abandon their dogs? There are already many people who abandon dogs, so I worry this might encourage it. Especially since these are dangerous dogs, it could be even more dangerous if abandoned."

Some argue that it is more important to implement qualification tests or strict procedures before adoption to prevent abandonment. Kim (28), an office worker who owns a dog, said, "This measure seems more like a post-event remedy than prevention. It’s about compensating someone if they get hurt by a dog," and added, "There are so many irresponsible dangerous dog owners these days, and it’s obvious they will abandon their dogs citing inability to pay insurance fees."

He continued, "I don’t think liability insurance can prevent accidents," and said, "Strictly screening adoption qualifications for dangerous dogs, strengthening basic measures such as pet registration and education will reduce abandonment."

The number of abandoned pets is increasing every year. According to the 'Survey on Pet Protection and Welfare Management' released by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency in May, 284 animal protection centers nationwide sheltered 135,791 animals last year, a 12.1% increase from the previous year. Among them, dogs accounted for 75.4%, showing a high proportion.

Photo by Yonhap News

On the other hand, there are also many welcoming responses such as "This is a necessary policy given the frequent dog bite incidents," and "It seems like a good system that makes people think twice before raising dangerous dogs." Mandatory insurance enrollment can raise awareness among those who intend to raise dangerous breeds.

Some criticize that the criteria for dangerous dogs are lax. Many dogs not classified as dangerous under current law also have severe biting tendencies.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, as of last year, there were about 2,092,000 registered pet dogs, and including unregistered ones, the estimated total is 5.98 million. Among them, the number of the five legally designated dangerous dog breeds that must wear muzzles is less than 1% of all pet dogs. Therefore, most dog bite incidents annually are caused by general breeds.

Experts suggest that instead of simply defining dangerous dogs, management targets should be determined through more diverse evaluation criteria.

Lee Wonbok, head of the Korea Animal Protection Federation, regarding the mandatory liability insurance enrollment for dangerous dog owners, said, "I agree with the government's intention, but I also agree with concerns that irresponsible acts (abandonment) by dangerous dog owners may occur," adding, "To prevent this, indiscriminate ownership and sale of high-risk dogs must be eradicated. Also, the wrong pet culture must be corrected. The fundamental cause stems from owners' lack of responsibility."

Regarding the criteria for dangerous dogs, he explained, "Setting criteria based on size or breed is ineffective in preventing dog bite incidents," and added, "Recent trends in the European Union and the United States are moving away from designating specific dangerous breeds and instead evaluating dogs of all sizes?small, medium, or large?based on various criteria."

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