Police applied for an arrest warrant for a man in his 50s who ran on an electric bicycle while dragging his dog until it died.
The Cheonan Dongnam Police Station stated on the 1st that it applied for a preliminary arrest warrant for a 50-year-old man surnamed A on charges of abusing his pet dog (violation of the Animal Protection Act) by dragging it on an electric bicycle until it died.
According to the police, Mr. A is suspected of having dragged a large Border Collie dog on an electric bicycle at around 7:52 p.m. on the 22nd along the Cheonan Stream promenade in Shinbu-dong, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan. Border Collies are known as "sheepdogs" that protected reindeer and sheep. They are said to be intelligent, persistent, and obedient to their owners.
At the time, the temperature in the Cheonan region was 28 degrees Celsius, with humidity reaching 79%, making it extremely hot. Citizens who saw the dog bleeding and suffering immediately stopped Mr. A and reported him to the police and city hall. The dog, which was rescued at the scene, died while being transported to an animal protection center. An autopsy revealed that the choke chain had constricted its neck, leading to suffocation and heat exhaustion.
The police believe that Mr. A intentionally abused the dog, leading to its death, based on the videos submitted by witnesses, testimony, and the cause of death. Additionally, they are investigating circumstances indicating that Mr. A kept two pet dogs in unsanitary conditions on the roof of a shopping and residential building.
The police have confirmed that Mr. A recently sold another Border Collie dog and gathered statements from potential buyers who suspected abuse.
Mr. A is reported to have denied the allegations during police questioning, saying, "The purpose was to exercise the dog because it was gaining weight," claiming he had no intention to abuse it.
This incident has quickly spread online, leading to strong demands for severe punishment from animal rights organizations and citizens. A petition titled "Demand for Severe Punishment" was posted on the signature campaign platform operated by the civic organization "Ppati." The petition began on the 28th of last month and has garnered participation from over 49,000 people to date.
The police stated, "We will apply a zero-tolerance principle to acts of animal abuse," adding that they plan to raise social awareness through thorough investigations and strict law enforcement.