"Living a Life of Pain"... Violence Toward Animals Also Harms People

70% of Animal Abusers Likely to Commit Other Crimes
Jodu-soon Also Has History of Stabbing Pet Dog to Death
Experts Say "Cruel Animal Abuse Linked to Crimes Against People"

An abandoned dog found with both eyes damaged. / Photo by Animal Protection Management System

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Incidents of animal abuse continue unabated. Animal abuse is becoming increasingly cruel, with abandoned dogs found with ruptured eyes and faces covered in pus.

Civilians are expressing anxiety over these brutal acts of abuse. There are concerns that the growing violence toward animals could spread and lead to harm against humans. Experts emphasize that animals are socially vulnerable and that animal abuse crimes are closely linked to human life.

◆ Abandoned dog found with both eyes ruptured... will never regain sight

According to Anseong City in Gyeonggi Province on the 2nd, on the 22nd of last month, a city-employed animal capture officer received a report of a brown Jindo mix dog presumed to be abandoned, collapsed near Balhwadong. The officers who arrived at the scene found the dog in critical condition, with both eyes ruptured and its face covered entirely in pus.

The abandoned dog was urgently transported to a nearby hospital, where it fortunately underwent eye removal and suturing surgery and recovered its health. However, the dog will permanently lose its vision. The veterinarian who treated the dog expressed suspicion of abuse.

Based on this, the city requested an investigation from the Anseong Police Station on the 27th of last month. The police plan to ascertain the detailed circumstances of the case through the owner's statements and analysis of closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.

Stray cat. / Photo by Yonhap News

◆ Shooting stray cats with arrows and sharing in open chat rooms... abuse becoming increasingly brutal

Animal abuse occurs so frequently that it is difficult to list all cases. The problem is not only the increase in reports of animal abuse but also the growing brutality of the abuse itself.

In January, a so-called 'animal version of the nth room' incident occurred in a KakaoTalk open chat room, where people cruelly killed stray cats and other animals and posted photos in the chat room. According to police investigations, about 80 people participated in this anonymously operated chat room.

In this chat room, people shot cats with arrows, filmed them bleeding, and shared photos of objects presumed to be cat heads. Also, conversations such as "I want to kill stray cats, how can I catch them?" and "Drowning them gives me vicarious satisfaction" were exchanged.

Civilians expressed outrage over the animal abuse cases but also voiced anxiety. The act of not only abusing animals but brutally killing them and sharing such behavior cannot be seen as normal human conduct.

Office worker Im Mo (27) said, "It is frightening that such people are blending into everyday life and society and acting as if nothing is wrong," adding, "Since they haven't harmed people, the punishment will obviously be mild. Isn't there a possibility that such criminals will commit bigger crimes later?"

Cat abuse. Photo by Yonhap News

◆ Jo Doo-soon, Yoo Young-chul, Kang Ho-soon... 70% of animal abusers commit other crimes

According to a study, people with a history of animal abuse are likely to commit other crimes. The U.S. animal rescue organization MSPCA released a report on the correlation between animal abuse and other crimes, stating, "70% of animal abusers have committed at least one other crime, and most serial killers have a history of animal abuse."

Jo Doo-soon, a child sex offender released last year, also has a history of abusing and killing his pet dogs. JTBC's 'Lee Gyu-yeon's Spotlight' revisited Jo Doo-soon's past atrocities before he committed sex crimes in December last year.

According to the report, Jo Doo-soon raised five pet dogs and repeatedly abused them. In a prosecution investigation, he stated, "I came home drunk and threw dogs to kill them twice," adding, "I stabbed one dog's eye with a broomstick and killed it."

Kwon Il-yong, an adjunct professor at Dongguk University's Graduate School of Police and Judicial Studies and Jo Doo-soon's profiler, pointed out that "serial killers Kang Ho-soon and Yoo Young-chul also practiced murder on dogs before their first crimes," emphasizing that animal abuse should not be taken lightly.

Experts stress that animals are socially vulnerable and that animal abuse crimes are serious matters linked to human life.

Lee Won-bok, president of the Korea Animal Protection Association, said, "The severity of abuse cases is becoming increasingly cruel. This dog will have to live its life in the pain of blindness," adding, "The perpetrator does not appear to be in a normal state. Displaying cruelty to show off and gain satisfaction and thrill is a typical trait of criminals."

He continued, "Some people who commit crimes go through a preliminary stage of abusing animals. This often leads to crimes against humans and other offenses. Those who abuse animals must be found and punished, and the penalties for animal abuse must be strengthened. Not only should laws be tightened, but enforcement of sentences against perpetrators must follow to raise awareness about animal abuse."

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