Dog Suffocated by Being Tied to Electric Bicycle... Owner May Face Aggravated Punishment

[Financial News] An incident occurred where a dog owner tied their pet to an electric bicycle and ran it to death, prompting the police to investigate. The owner reportedly stated, "I was walking the dog to exercise it because it had gained weight."
According to the police on the 24th, the Cheonan Dongnam Police Station announced that they have booked the dog owner, Mr. A (in his 50s), on charges of violating the Animal Protection Act and are investigating.
Mr. A is accused of tying a large Border Collie breed dog to an electric bicycle and running it until it died on the Cheonancheon promenade in Sinbu-dong, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan City, around 7:52 PM on the 22nd.
Citizens who saw the dog being dragged by the electric bicycle, panting and bleeding, intervened and reported Mr. A to the police.
According to the police investigation, the dog, which was alive when rescued, died while being transported to an animal hospital, with a veterinarian's opinion suggesting suffocation.
The police plan to investigate Mr. A further to determine the detailed circumstances and whether there were any additional abuses.
The Animal Protection Act stipulates that "no one shall abuse animals," and strengthens punishment if the animal dies. If aggravated abuse is recognized in court, the offender can face up to 3 years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won.
The Seoul Central District Court applied the prohibition of abuse and aggravated punishment to a defendant who suffocated their dog by tying it to a car with a rope in Seoul in 2020, sentencing them to 6 months in prison with a 2-year suspended sentence and a fine of 5 million won. At that time, the defendant also argued "to exercise," but the court did not accept it. However, the court considered that it was the first offense and that the defendant showed remorse.




jjw@fnnews.com Jiwoo Jeong Reporter