[Animal] Pet etiquette, a companion animal culture for everyone

Even today, dog bite accidents are common in the news. 

Dogs attack people and large dogs bite small dogs.

In April, a video of a large dog attacking an elderly man while walking without a leash in a rural village was released in the internet in Korea.

In the video, the dog walking down the street with a child suddenly attacked a woman nearby and it was not on a leash or muzzle.

The woman, who was walking with her hands behind her back, got startled by the dog and tried to run away, but the dog bit the woman and she fell down.  Then the dog violently bit her arms, neck and stomach for nearly 30 seconds. A woman nearby continued to kick the dog, but its violent behavior did not stop until a man passing nearby kicked the dog hard.

After the accident, the woman suffered from bruises all over her body, including the back of her neck, abdomen and legs, as well as wounds, scratches and trauma from the shock.

Previously, the dog had bitten and killed a goat in the neighborhood, but the dog owner who made child walk the large dog claims that he has no intention of accepting a settlement exceeding 3 million won.

According to the current Animal Protection Act, a fine of 200 thousand won for the 1st violation, 300 thousand won for the 2nd, and 500 thousand won for the 3rd will be imposed if the dog is not on a leash. Imprisonment for up to two years or a fine of up to 20 million won may be imposed too.

Dog biting accidents can be prevented with just a little bit of attention from the dog owner. Isn't a muzzle and leash basic for other people and dogs on walks?

U.S. designation of 'dangerous dog’ through resident report, liability insurance and vaccination required.

Considering the fact that injures and deaths caused by companion dogs continue to occur, it seem appropriate to impose imprisonment or fines to dog owners who violate the duty to use leashes or cause death and injury, under the Animal Protection Act as it could prevent accidents in advance.

However, according to the current Animal Protection Law, there are problems for example  that legal punishment is not possible even when a dog bite accident occurs if a dog with a high degree of aggression escapes from the kennel and does not go out with its owner.

Washington State has already designated certain dogs as fierce dogs through temperament evaluation and imposed various duties as a solution to this legal loophole.

In the case of Lower Saxony, Germany, accident dogs must pass a  temperament evaluation before breeding and if permission is not granted, the ownership is deprived.

In Korea, with the introduction of the 'temperament evaluation system' in accordance with the newly implemented revised Animal Protection Act, dogs that are not one of the five fierce dog breeds, such as Rottweilers and Tosa dogs, could be subject to disputes due to their aggression, such as when they cause dog bite accidents. After a temperament evaluation, it can be designated as a fierce dog. These measures are judged as a practical help in resolving the dog bite accident of 'a highly aggressive dog among safe dogs', which is pointed out as a blind spot in the current Animal Protection Act. However, even with the temperament evaluation system, it cannot be said that the above problems are completely resolved. This is because it is not easy to predict a dog's aggression through a test, as dogs that pass the temperament evaluation can show aggression in certain situations. The temperament evaluation system seems to be a measure that helps identify animals that need protection and management in consideration of their characteristics and take appropriate protective measures.

Although the specific effectiveness of the system will require a separate evaluation after a certain period of time, it seems clear that even a very ferocious and aggressive dog can become a good enough companion animal if you understand the dog's temperament and provide appropriate training and management. It is hoped that the introduction of the temperament evaluation system through the revision of the Animal Protection Act contributes to raising animal owners' awareness and sense of responsibility, functioning as a more effective and preventive measure against dog biting accidents in the future. Source: Farm News (http://www.pharmnews.com)

As we enter the age of 10 million companion animals, accidents caused by companion dogs are increasing. It is time to seek various measures to reduce the injure of companion animals and accidents caused by these animals, and to coexist with humans.

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