[Pet Animals] A series of abandoned and abandoned pets... Strengthening adoption responsibility is in place

Sent to a shelter by disguising it as a lost animal or abandoning it by deceiving the rescuer.

A bill mandating pre-adoption education is pending in the National Assembly... Expert: “The adoption qualification system needs to be reviewed”

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Se-rin = As a series of cases are being sent on charges of abandonment after raising or adopting a companion animal, voices are growing that an institutional mechanism that strengthens responsibility from the adoption stage is needed to prevent irresponsible abandonment.

Experts point out that prevention-oriented system improvement is needed, such as requiring pre-adoption education and allowing adoption only to those who meet certain requirements, as well as post-punishment for abandonment.

According to Youngone, an animal rights lawyer group, on the 11th, Gangwon Taebaek Police Station sent Mr. A, who handed over his pet dog to the city animal shelter on the 29th of last month by pretending that it was a lost animal, to the Public Prosecution Office on charges of violation of the Animal Protection Act and obstruction of official duties by hierarchy.

It was found that Mr. A left the dog at the shelter by pretending that he was temporarily taking care of it, and that the dog was later euthanized.

Siheung Police Station in Gyeonggi Province sent Mr. B, who abandoned the cat after adopting it from a private rescuer in October last year, to the Public Prosecution Office on charges of violating the Animal Protection Act on the 28th of last month.

It was found that Mr. B hid the actual situation by sending the rescuer a photo of a cat with completely different patterns than the adopted cat.

It is known that after sending a message telling the cat to take it home as it had been starving for several days, he cut off contact.

Youngwon reported Mr. B last May, and after investigation, the police charged him with violating the Animal Protection Act and handed the case over to the Public Prosecution Office.

In addition, Youngwon and Pocat Meng Center reported guardian C to the police on charges of abandoning a Maltese with heavily tangled fur on a bench in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul last June. However, it was discovered that Mr. C received a suspended indictment in relation to the incident.

◇ Irresponsible adoption and fostering abandonment must be prevented… “Need to make prior training mandatory.”

Although the current Animal Protection Act prohibits abandonment of animals and stipulates the protection and management obligations of owners, etc., it has been pointed out that there are insufficient institutional mechanisms to prevent irresponsible adoption or abandonment of foster care.

At the ‘Meeting to Prevent Pet Abandonment’ held at the National Assembly on the 9th of last month, ways to improve the system for prevention were discussed.

At the meeting, it was suggested that a system should be established to periodically update pet registration information and manage the history from adoption and sale to change of owner.

The purpose of this is to clarify responsibility in the event of loss or abandonment and to continuously manage guardians' child-rearing responsibilities even after adoption.

Legislation mandating prior education before adoption is also being promoted, but related bills are currently pending in the National Assembly.

The amendment to the Animal Protection Act, proposed by Rep. Oh Se-hee of the Democratic Party of Korea last July, requires prior training on appropriate breeding and management for those who adopt companion animals and restricts the transfer of companion animals if they do not complete the training.

It also includes provisions requiring a contract to be drawn up and issued when transferring or acquiring a companion animal for a fee.

Attorney Lee Da-young, head of Youngone, an animal rights lawyer group, emphasized, "Ultimately, in order to reduce the number of abandoned animals, we need an institutional mechanism that enables responsible adoption rather than simply increasing adoption," and added, "We must appropriately raise the threshold for adoption to ensure sufficient consideration and responsibility from the stage of deciding to adopt."

He continued, “There is a need to review the introduction of an adoption qualification system that requires prior education before adoption and allows adoption only when certain requirements are met,” and added, “The perception that adoption is about taking responsibility for one life to the end must be established.”