"Euthanasia or Rehabilitation? What Do You Think About the Disposal of the 'Namyangju Murder Dog'?"

50s Woman Killed by Large Dog
"I Will Raise the Murder Dog from Namyangju"... Calls Against Euthanasia
Expert: "Euthanasia of Dog Causing Injury Should Consider Multiple Factors"

A large dog that attacked a woman in her 50s in Namyangju, Gyeonggi-do. Photo by Gyeonggi-do Northern Fire and Disaster Headquarters.

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] "A person died because of a dog. For the sake of the bereaved family, euthanasia should be carried out," "Please do not euthanize the dog; let it be adopted."

Recently, a woman in her 50s died after being bitten by a large dog in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, sparking a heated debate over whether the large dog should be euthanized. Initially, responsibility for dog bite incidents can be attributed to the negligent owner. However, in this case, although there were signs that the dog was wearing a leash, the owner has not yet been found.

Civilians argue that since dog bite incidents continue, regulations should be established to euthanize dogs that cause injury to people. On the other hand, some insist that the owner's responsibility should be strengthened instead of euthanasia, citing respect for animal life rights. Experts suggest that various factors should be comprehensively considered when deciding whether to euthanize a dog.

Earlier, on the afternoon of the 22nd, a woman identified as A (59) was attacked and killed by a large dog at the entrance of a mountain in Saneung-ri, Jingeon-eup, Namyangju.

CCTV footage of the incident shows A, wearing a red outfit, climbing the mountain for a walk but hurriedly descending. At that moment, the large dog bit A's arm, causing her to fall to the ground. The dog then attacked A more violently, and she struggled with the dog for over three minutes without being able to separate it.

After the dog disappeared, A managed to come down the hill with difficulty. A factory worker who found her collapsed immediately called 119. A was transported to the hospital but eventually died. The autopsy revealed that the cause of death was shock due to excessive bleeding. The large dog that attacked A was about 150 cm in length and weighed around 30 kg, reportedly a mix between a Pungsan dog and a Samoyed.

The police believe the large dog is likely a stray that had been roaming the area for several months. Initially, it was suspected to have escaped from a nearby breeding facility, but the owner of the facility denied that the dog belonged to them.

A notice distributed to find the owner of a large dog that attacked a woman in her 50s in Namyangju, Gyeonggi-do. Photo by Gyeonggi Northern Fire and Disaster Headquarters.

Meanwhile, controversy has arisen over whether to euthanize the large dog in question. South Korea has no specific regulations for seizure or euthanasia of dogs that have injured people. Although animal protection organizations may recommend euthanasia to the dog owner or euthanize the dog if it is transferred to them, such measures are not mandatory.

In particular, since the large dog's owner has not appeared, it is classified as a stray. Generally, if no owner or adopter appears within 10 days, ownership transfers to the local government, which then proceeds with euthanasia. Because of this, Namyangju City and the police initially announced plans to decide on euthanasia or other measures after concluding the investigation.

Some citizens argue that the large dog should be euthanized, pointing out that it could bite someone again.

Office worker Kim (29) said, "This is not just any large dog; it is a dog that killed a person. Considering it attacked the victim for over three minutes, it must be highly aggressive. If the dog is not euthanized, such crimes could happen again. Also, since dog bite incidents are frequent these days, I hope muzzles become mandatory regardless of the dog's size."

Job seeker Lee (25), who has been raising a Doberman for two years, said, "I also have a dog, but in cases like this, I think euthanasia is necessary. How heartbreaking it must be for the victim's family. Many people love dogs, but quite a few are afraid of them. We should always keep that in mind when raising dogs."

The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Photo by Pixabay.

According to the Animal Protection Act revised in March last year, dog owners who violate pet safety management causing death to a person face imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won, and if causing injury, imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of up to 20 million won. However, there are no separate regulations for handling dogs that have caused injury.

Some argue that instead of euthanizing the dog, the owner's responsibility should be strengthened. University student Kang (25) said, "The incident is unfortunate, but the dog is not at fault. This happened because the owner abandoned the dog in the first place. The owner should be caught and severely punished. In a way, the dog is also a victim."

Meanwhile, two dog organizations reportedly called Namyangju City to express opposition to euthanasia. One dog organization proposed, "If you entrust us with the dog, we will rehabilitate it," and another also filed a petition saying, "We will provide psychological treatment."

An expert emphasized the need to comprehensively assess various factors when deciding whether to euthanize a dog that has injured a person.

Lee Wonbok, head of the Korea Animal Protection Union, said, "The issue of euthanizing a dog that has caused injury should not be decided lightly. The best approach is to rehabilitate the problematic dog. However, since animals can unconsciously repeat the same behavior, rehabilitation can be challenging."

He added, "Ultimately, to decide on euthanasia, it is necessary to carefully consider the dog's condition, characteristics, and surrounding environment. I hope this 'Namyangju dog bite incident' will spark a social discourse on the issue of dog euthanasia."

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