‘Dog-parazzi’ under fire
Some dogs pit owners against rest of society
The deadly aggression by K-pop star Choi Si-won’s dog Bugsy, which led to the death of a 53-year-old restaurant owner, has become a turning point for dog-related legislation.
Before the tragedy, there was almost no law in place regarding canine aggression.
An aggressive Bugsy has prompted the government to study a set of measures to hold negligent owners accountable for the actions of their dogs.
Dog-related incidents have increased rapidly over the past five years. In 2012, 155 dog aggression cases were reported to the police but the number soared to 659 in 2016. The police have cracked down 546 cases of dog aggression this year as of August.
On Oct. 23, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs previewed a set of measures to strengthen punishment for owners when their dogs bite or attack others. Dogs must be leashed and muzzled in public. If violated, owners will be fined or face a jail term.
The agriculture ministry also unveiled “dog-parazzi.”
It’s an idea to encourage citizens to report unleashed or unmuzzled dogs to the police. Citizens will be compensated if they submit photos to the police of unleashed or unmuzzled dogs in public, according to the plan. The dog-parazzi plan will take effect next March. It drew criticism from the beginning. Experts say the dog-parazzi pits dog owners against the rest of society.
Critics say it’s an idea poised to fail. Under the current system, they say there’s no way to identify which dog belongs to whom.
Owners are required to register their dogs when their pets turn three months old. The registration process is simple. Each dog gets a 15-digit identification number and owners can insert a microchip with those numbers under their dogs’ skin or have their dogs wear them. Those who fail to do so will be fined up to 400,000 won.
About 80 percent of dogs are not registered.
Even if someone discovers a registered dog which is unleashed or not muzzled, no one can possibly know who the owner is because the electronic chip doesn’t say anything about who owns the dog. The dog identification number was introduced to help owners find their dogs in case they are missing.
An era of companian animals
Experts said dog aggression can be prevented and there’s a more effective solution to help owners control their dogs.
“Dog owners are almost always considered responsible for the actions of, and any damage caused by their dogs,” said James Crosby, a dog aggression expert. “Considering the long coexistence based on companionship between dogs and humans, fatalities are always a special case. These cases are nearly always preventable — as are most other bites.”
Crosby said understanding how dogs comprehend the world and how our actions affect them can eliminate most bites.
“Dogs communicate when they feel threatened or uncomfortable. It is our responsibility to understand that and act accordingly,” he said.
There is an estimated 10 million dogs living with people in Korea. Dogs have become Koreans’ favorite companion animal.
Experts say falling birth rates are associated with the surge of dogs as Koreans’ favorite companion animal.
A 2015 Gallup poll shows there has been a 10 percent increase in dog owners in their 20s and 30s in the past 13 years.
This suggests the younger generation’s affection toward dogs is the key behind Korea’s soaring dog population.
Compared to people in their 40s or older, the younger generation has fewer siblings and some of them consider dogs part of their family. The birthrate in Korea in the 1960s stood at 6, and it has sharply gone down to 2.1 in 1984. The birthrate in 2011 stood at 1.3.
People living with dogs in general are vocal on animal rights, according to the poll.
The Gallup survey found 63 percent of Koreans support animal testing for health, scientific or medical research, while 29 percent are against it.
The support rate for animal testing among people living with dogs was 56 percent, with 35 percent siding with a ban on animal testing for any purposes.
The rate against animal testing was the highest among people in their 20s, at 36 percent.
Considering the long coexistence based on companionship between dogs and humans, fatalities are always a special case. These cases are nearly always preventable.