Animal carcass in front of pet grooming salon... "Seems like retaliation for dog meat ban"

Owner "Conflict with Traders While Opposing Dog Meat Consumption Movement"

A dead animal in a plastic bag was found in front of a pet grooming salon in Gyeongju, prompting a police investigation. The salon owner claimed it appeared to be a retaliatory act related to the dog meat ban law.

On the 19th, the Gyeongbuk Gyeongju Police Department announced that owner A, who runs a pet grooming salon in downtown Gyeongju, reported discovering a black plastic bag containing an animal carcass in front of the salon.

After sending photos to the city hall's Animal Welfare Team and a veterinarian, A received opinions that it was "presumed to be a dog carcass" and then contacted the police. A speculated, "Since the dog meat ban law recently passed the National Assembly, it seems like nearby dog meat industry workers are retaliating."

A, who has been campaigning against dog meat consumption for 20 years, said, "Having opposed the industry for a long time, I have often had conflicts with dog meat vendors," adding, "Since some people know the location of my store, I think this was intentional."

Animal protection group representatives are shouting slogans welcoming the passage of the 'Dog Meat Ban Act' in the National Assembly plenary session in front of the National Assembly on the 10th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The police analyzed nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage and identified suspect B, a man in his 70s. B is known not to be involved in the dog meat industry.

During the police investigation, B stated, "It is not dog meat but venison I received from an acquaintance." The police plan to request an expert examination of the carcass to confirm whether it is an animal carcass.

On the 9th of this month, the ruling and opposition parties passed the "Special Act on the Termination of Breeding, Slaughtering, and Distribution for Dog Meat Consumption (Dog Meat Ban Law)" at the National Assembly plenary session. According to this law, from 2027 onward, breeding, slaughtering, distributing, and selling dogs for food purposes will be prohibited.

Those who slaughter dogs for food purposes may face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won, and those who breed, propagate, or distribute dogs may face up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won.

However, dog meat distributors and sellers are protesting, saying, "Passing the bill without concrete alternatives disregards the industry's right to survive." Their main argument is that before passing the bill, measures such as providing financial support or job placement assistance should have been prepared to help business owners sustain their livelihoods.

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