Should a Dog That Seriously Bit an 8-Year-Old Child Be Euthanized?

Serious Injury from Leash-Free Dog Bite in Ulsan Apartment Complex
Police Sought Euthanasia but Prosecutors Demand "Additional Evidence"
"Euthanasia Is a Difficult Issue, Prompt Establishment of Temperament Assessment Procedures Needed"

Video footage from the dog bite incident that occurred on the 11th at an apartment complex in Ulsan. / YouTube capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Should a dog that caused serious injury to a person be euthanized? A recent dog bite incident in an apartment complex in Ulsan has sparked a debate over how to handle the dog involved. There are opposing views: one argues that a dog that mercilessly attacked a person should not be kept alive, while the other insists that the decision should be made after assessing the possibility of rehabilitation. As the owner’s negligence has been pointed out as the main cause of the dog bite incident, calls for stricter penalties continue to be raised.

The incident occurred on the 11th in an apartment complex in Ulju-gun, Ulsan City. Eight-year-old boy A was attacked by a black Jindo mix dog that was roaming alone with its leash off while he was on his way home from school. According to the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage released by A’s side, the dog chased and lunged at A, who desperately tried to escape but eventually fell down. While A resisted and tried to get up, the dog bit his neck and arms and would not let go.

Eventually, A’s body went limp as if he had fainted, but the dog continued attacking for more than two minutes afterward. Later, a passing delivery worker found A lying on the ground and used a handcart to chase the dog away. It was reported that A suffered severe injuries, including bleeding on his neck and back, due to the dog’s attack. Had the delivery worker not witnessed the scene and the attack continued, A’s life could have been in grave danger.

Regarding this incident, the Ulju Police Station in Ulsan requested the prosecution to order the disposal (euthanasia) of the dog involved (seized item), but the prosecution put the brakes on, stating that supplementary investigation was necessary. The prosecution reportedly judged that even if the dog caused injury by biting a person, additional evidence is needed to prove whether keeping the dog as property poses a threat to human life, body, health, or property. Under current law, animals are classified as property and are subject to seizure and other compulsory enforcement. The police plan to conduct further investigation on the dog’s danger and then request re-instruction from the prosecution.

Citizens’ opinions were divided. One netizen who saw the video of A being attacked said, “It was chilling to see the dog continuously biting a child who was lying motionless on the ground,” adding, “While any dog may have a biting instinct, it is not right to just leave a dog that mercilessly attacked a person.” On the other hand, some pointed out that the owner’s responsibility is significant for letting the dog roam outside and failing to socialize it enough to prevent biting people.

The euthanasia issue flares up every time a fatality occurs due to a dog bite incident. Regarding the case last May where a woman in her 50s died after being bitten by a dog in a mountain area in Namyangju, animal trainer Kang Hyungwook said on KBS2’s ‘Dogs Are Incredible,’ “If you are a trainer or hold a related position, you must strongly say that if you raise a dog like this, euthanasia is inevitable.” He emphasized that the greatest responsibility for dog bite incidents lies with the owner.

There are also opinions that euthanasia is not a fundamental solution and that institutional measures, including regulations related to the disposal of dogs involved in incidents, should be established. Under current law, when a person is injured by a dog bite, the owner can be punished for negligence causing injury, but there are no specific regulations regarding the dog involved. Lee Wonbok, head of the Korea Animal Protection Union, stressed, “Euthanasia is not a matter that judicial authorities can simply decide. It is necessary to review procedures that can evaluate the dog’s growth process and temperament, such as whether the dog received sufficient socialization training, whether it was confined at home for a long time, and whether it had time to walk or interact with other dogs, before making a judgment.”

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