According to the police and fire authorities, at around 7:30 a.m. on the 16th, a woman in her 80s, Ms. A, was found bitten by one of the three pit bull terrier dogs she owned in the yard of a single-family home in Naeil-dong, Miryang-si. Mr. A suffered multiple wounds to major parts, including his neck and arms, and was lying bleeding. He was taken to the hospital by the 119 ambulance dispatched by a neighbor’s report, but eventually died.
According to a witness statement, just before the accident, two pit bulls were fighting with each other in the yard, and Mr. A, who was trying to stop the fight, got caught up in the dogs’ excitement and was reportedly attacked. Immediately after the accident, police and fire authorities captured the dog that attacked and euthanized it, and Mr. A’s family reportedly transported the remaining two dogs outside.
Pit bull terriers are classified as ‘dangerous dog breeds (vicious dogs)’ under the Animal Protection Act and can be bred only after obtaining permission and reporting from the local government. However, as a result of the police investigation, it was determined that Mr. A had raised the dog without completing a separate permit procedure.
A police official said, “It is difficult to hold the victim directly criminally responsible because the incident was caused by a dog he was raising. However, we are conducting additional investigations into the family regarding non-compliance with the dog breeding permit and negligence in management.”
The police are investigating the exact cause of death by requesting an autopsy from the National Institute of Forensic Science, and are reviewing the status of other vicious dogs managed by Mr. A’s family and securing related documents to determine whether they violate the Animal Protection Act.
This accident once again raised criticism that the management and supervision system is still inadequate despite a series of vicious dog accidents. Experts unanimously said, “Raising dangerous dogs is a problem that goes beyond individual freedom and is directly related to social safety,” and that “there is an urgent need to strengthen local governments’ registration management and make training for breeders mandatory.”