Authorities probe potential serial dog abandonment in Gangnam: report
South Korean authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with serial dog abandonment, after 19 discarded dogs were discovered in Gangnam, southern Seoul, last month, local media reported Wednesday.
Between April 5 and April 7, residents of Daechi-dong and Yeoksam-dong in Gangnam discovered the dogs scattered in their neighborhoods — in streets, alleys and parking lots. All the animals appeared to have been severely neglected, with overgrown, matted fur and signs of poor hygiene. None of the male dogs had been neutered, according to officials. As of Wednesday, most of the dogs had been adopted into new homes, authorities said.
Korean-language newspaper Edaily reported that officials from the Seoul Metropolitan Government identified a suspect after analyzing surveillance camera footage, though the suspect has denied responsibility.
Officials of the Gangnam-gu Office, who requested a probe, reportedly said that the case may be the work of a single person, given that the abandoned dogs were mostly of the same breed and had been discarded when government workers were off-duty.
The investigation, led by Seoul's special judicial police officers — civil servants appointed by the prosecution and granted limited investigative authority under its supervision — is exploring the possibility that the case is linked to animal hoarding, according to Edaily.
Animal hoarding involves the accumulation of a large number of animals without the capacity to adequately care for them, often resulting in neglect, poor health conditions and, in some cases, abuse. Under South Korea's Animal Protection Act, such conduct constitutes animal cruelty and is punishable by up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won ($21,600).
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