The dog's previous owner left a note that said: "Please take good care of my dear one due to the move." PHOTOS: BAND FOR ANIMALS
ASAN, South Korea (The Korea Herald/ANN): A note left by a dog owner who abandoned the pet during home moving has sparked angry reactions in South Korea.
The dog, Bonbon, was tied up and left in a garage at the time of its rescue. The dog’s owner left a note saying, “Please take good care of my dear one due to the move,” along with a drawing of a heart pierced by an arrow at the bottom.
Non-profit organisation Band for Animals in Asan shared the story on social media.
Netizens criticised the owner’s actions, with comments like, “If you can’t take responsibility, don’t raise a pet”, and questioned why the dog had been abandoned during the move.
“Bonbon has been in the shelter for three weeks and has yet to find a new family,” said the organisation.
It appealed to the public for a stable temporary home for Bonbon, highlighting the ongoing challenge that shelters face, including the weekly rounds of euthanasia of animals.
The problem of abandoned animals like Bonbon is widespread. Despite amendments to the Animal Protection Act two years ago that impose fines of up to 3 million won (S$3,100) for animal abandonment, tens of thousands of similar cases discovered each year.
Concerns persist about the law’s effectiveness.
According to a recent report by the South Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, animal shelters rescued 113,440 animals in 2022, but only 27.5 per cent found new homes. Most either lived in shelters until their natural death or were euthanised.
The Animal Registration System, implemented in 2014 to prevent abandonment, requires pet owners to register animals over two months old.
Failure to comply can result in fines of up to 1 million won. After registration, owners must report changes in address or contact information. Failure to do so or neglecting to report a lost or deceased pet can incur fines of up to 500,000 won. - THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
