On January 29th, we held a press conference in front of the Cheonan branch of the Daejeon District Court and demanded that the Cheonan Dog Slaughterer who had been burning dogs alive for 20 years be put on trial.
After submitting a testimonial to the Cheonan Seobuk Police Station from one of the rescued dogs, Nova (the first time in South Korea that a dog has submitted a testimonial as a witness,) along with a petition signed by citizens urging the severest appropriate punishment, the prosecution merely fined him 3 million Korean Won (Approx. $2,500 US) without the need for a trial. That outcome was unacceptable.
According to Article VIII of South Korean Animal Protection Act, the following are considered acts of animal abuse and are prohibited:
- Cruel slaughter methods, such as hanging
- Performing the slaughter in places visible to other animals or passersby
It is evident that the slaughterer had grossly violated animal protection laws. Witnesses reported that he had committed such acts for over 20 years, which brings us to an estimate of tens of thousands of dogs brutally killed by his hand.
The more severe the abuse is, the more severe the legal repercussions and punishment should be. This is the only way to also improve public awareness of the importance of animal protection in South Korea.
Although the petition had only been going a short while, we submitted 3,500 signatures to the court demanding a proper trial for the Cheonan Dog Slaughterer. We would like to thank all those who signed, and the individual activists who had come a long way to participate in the press conference with us.
We hope the Department of Justice makes the right decision and signals a move to a more progressive, modern, and serious attitude that animal abuse will no longer be treated lightly in South Korea.
We will keep you updated of any developments in this case.
