A man from South Korea is being investigated for animal abuse after more than 1,000 dead dogs were discovered at his home in the country’s northwestern province. The case came to light after a resident, who was looking for their lost dog, stumbled upon the man’s property in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi province, according to a report by the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP).
The suspect, in his 60s, allegedly took in abandoned dogs and deliberately starved them to death. The animal rights activists mentioned that dog farmers were paying the suspect for disposing of the dogs that were of no use commercially.
A member of the animal rights group Care claimed that the accused was paid 10,000 won (approximately US$7.70) per dog by breeders to “take care of them”. The member further alleged that the man locked up and starved the dogs to death in 2020.
Distressing images of dead dogs were found in cages, sacks, and rubber boxes on the man’s property. The Care members who arrived at the scene revealed that the decomposed carcasses created a layer on the ground, with more bodies piled on top to form further rows. The dogs that survived were found infected from several skin diseases and malnutrition.
Four dogs were rescued and are currently receiving medical treatment, but two are in critical condition. According to the SCMP report, there has been a sharp increase in animal abuse cases in South Korea over the past decade, with cases rising from 69 in 2010 to 914 in 2019.
