Restaurant Owner Abusing Pet Dog Says "Lost Reason After Drinking"

The owner of a restaurant in Jeju has sparked public outrage after a video showing him abusing his pet dog by throwing it onto the floor was posted on social networking services (SNS).

The video, released by the animal rights organization CARE after receiving it from a whistleblower, shows a man sitting on the restaurant floor picking up a puppy, lifting it above his head, then forcefully throwing it onto the floor and grabbing its neck. The footage is reported to have been recorded around 11 p.m. on the 19th.

The abused dog was completely limp and unable to resist, while another dog nearby witnessed the abuse and turned its head away.

The whistleblower, a tourist passing by, witnessed the abuse, recorded it on their phone, and reported it to a nearby police station. In response, the Seogwipo Police Station booked a man in his 50s, identified as Mr. A, on charges of violating the Animal Protection Act on the 20th. On the same day, Seogwipo City officials and animal protection activists went to the scene and separated Mr. A from his pet dog. Mr. A expressed his intention to give up raising the dog, and the abused dog was transferred to an animal protection center. The dog is expected to go through adoption procedures in the future.

Handwritten apology letter posted by Mr. A [Photo by Yonhap News]

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During the police investigation, Mr. A reportedly said, "I was so angry because the puppy broke a flowerpot." As the controversy grew with the restaurant’s name being revealed online, Mr. A posted a handwritten apology on the 'News' section of the portal site for his restaurant on the afternoon of the 20th.

In the apology, Mr. A stated, "I was in a difficult situation due to exhaustion over the past few days, and after drinking alcohol offered by a customer, I lost my composure and this incident occurred. I deeply regret everything and will do my best to restore the damage caused to the dog. I bow my head in apology for causing trouble and will live a life of service from now on."

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