According to data from the National Fire department, In Korea, 2,368 people were bitten by dogs and visited the emergency room in 2018. If a dog bites a person, it is possible to make civil and criminal charges. In the case of negligence, the person has to pay up to 5 million won, and in case of negligent homicide, imprisonment for up to 2 years or a fine of up to 7 million won. However, if a dog owner admits his mistake, the dog owner will not be punished under the criminal law, causing the dog owner to be negligent again. In fact, there are only a few cases where dog owners are actually arrested and fines are usually small. This has led to widespread public opinion on tougher punishment. From March 2019, ‘The animal protection law’ was established, which was stronger than the existing criminal law. Under the ‘Animal protection law’, if dogs without leashes or muzzles hurt people, the new penalty will be imprisonment of up to two years and a fine of up to 20 million won, and in the case of loss of life there will be imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to 30 million won.

Dog bite accident and punishment in other countries

  According to The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC), an average of 4.5 million people get bitten each year, and 800 thousand of them sustain injuries that require medical attention. In the United States, dangerous dogs are evaluated for aggression not by ‘species’. There is a ‘Dangerous dog law’ that includes restrictions on dogs and owners, and penalties for violations, and a ‘Specific species control law’ that allows control of the species to be imposed by designating certain species considered to be risk of harm to people, In 30 states including California, having a ‘Dog bite thorough responsibility law’. In the case of dog euthanasia based on dog bites, some states in the U.S decide whether to euthanize the dog based on expert opinions and the court, takes into account the cases of previous attacks, the extent of injury resulting from attacks, and the possibility of correction. In fact, there is a case in Georgia, where the dog owner was sentenced to 16 months in prison and the dog was euthanized because the dog ripped the arm of a girl in 2012.
  In the UK, the ‘Dangerous dog law’ was enacted in 1991 and if someone wants to own a fierce dog, they have to get mandatory court clearance. The penalty in case of a dog bite carries a maximum of 5 years in prison and maximum of 14 years if the person dies. Also, Germany categorizes fierce dogs into grades 1 to 3. It is specified that American pit bull terrier cannot be owned by individuals, and wearing a muzzle is decided through a substrate test.

How to deal with dog bite accidents

  As the number of dog bite accidents increases, more and more discussions are being made. People need to think about the basic concern first before considering the risk of dangerous dogs, euthanasia, or intensified punishment about accidents. In the West, there is a culture of receiving related education when adopting dogs. In Land Niedersakhsen, Germany, people have to pass ‘dog driver license’ test to raise dogs, and some in Korea are of the opinion of adopting the test system. Before the system will be implemented, CBT reporter asked Im Dae-jin, director of ‘Medipet animal hospital’ in Daegu about his insights in this matter.  He commented, “When bitten by a dog, germs found on the teeth of an animal can cause disease. In the case of ordinary bacteria these can be treated easily, but in the case of germs that can be toxic or if disinfection is not done, secondary infections will occur. In case of a severe bite, it is necessary to open the wound and wash it off. People should also know how to read and deal with dogs and calming signals when facing a dog. Ordinary dogs are alert and timid, so they growl as a sign not to intrude on their territory, but in the case of aggressive dogs, they are likely to bite without any warning due to their nature. People should recognize that their dogs can be a threat to others and always be aware of and careful in the event of an accident in which their dog is wary or aggressive. The dog owner’s education and their consciousness are important. No matter how much animals have the right to life, humans come first.”
  Dogs changed from livestock to pets, but now they have become like family to the point where they are called ‘companion animals’ The owner of the Rottweiler went as far as to say that the dog can’t be euthanized even if he himself dies. Such a tragic accident would not happen if he thought the attacked dog was someone’s family. There should be a perception that accidents caused by insufficient study of companion animals are no longer a simple mistake but a crime. It’s time to think about how people can live together.  Even people who don't have dogs should give it some serious thought since dog culture is already a big part of daily lives.

By Choi Jin-hyuk l jh41@cbnu.ac.kr
By Jung Jin-ju l asd030@cbnu.ac.kr