Man Who Shot Arrow Thinking It Was a Wild Dog "Expresses Regret"... Arrow-Struck Dog Sent to New York

A Man in His 40s Shoots an Arrow at a Dog
"The Dog Was Startled After Being Hit by the Arrow"

The prosecution has requested a prison sentence for a man in his 40s who shot a stray dog with an arrow, claiming the dog was harming the chickens he raised.

The Jeju District Court Criminal Division 2 (Presiding Judge Bae Gumin) held the first trial and sentencing hearing on the 19th for Mr. A (49), who was indicted on charges including violation of the Animal Protection Act. The prosecution asked the court to sentence Mr. A to six months in prison. The prosecution explained the reason for the request, stating, "The defendant claims that his chickens were once killed by wild dogs, but the injured dog that was shot with the arrow did not actually cause any harm to the defendant. This case is by no means minor."

A dog hit by an arrow is wandering on the road. [Image provided by Jeju Western Police Station]

Mr. A admitted to the charges in court. However, his defense attorney appealed for leniency, saying, "The defendant regrets and reflects on his actions. He shot from a distance of 60 meters and did not expect to hit the dog. He was also startled when the dog was hit by the arrow," and requested consideration of the fact that he has no prior record of similar offenses.

Mr. A is accused of shooting an arrow approximately 70 cm long at a dog wandering near a warehouse next to his vinyl greenhouse in Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo City, on the afternoon of August 25, 2022.

The dog was found the next day, August 26, at 8:29 a.m., near the village hall in Cheongsu-ri, Hangyeong-myeon, Jeju City, about 10 km in a straight line from the crime scene, with the arrow embedded in its torso. At the time of rescue, the dog was reportedly panting heavily in distress. Medical examination revealed that the arrow had pierced the dog’s fourth lumbar vertebra. Fortunately, the dog underwent surgery at an animal hospital and recovered its health.

Cheonji looking healthier. [Image provided by animal protection organization Hondidorang]

After seven months of investigation, the police arrested Mr. A at his residence in March of last year and seized parts of the arrow and other evidence. The investigation revealed that Mr. A harbored negative feelings toward dogs because they had previously attacked the chicken farm he operated, causing damage. However, it was confirmed that the injured dog did not actually harm the chickens Mr. A raised. Mr. A purchased 20 arrows through overseas direct purchase and made the bow himself using wood and fishing line.

The injured dog, named "Cheonji," received treatment and training with the help of animal protection organizations and was adopted by a family in New York, USA, in November of last year.

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