, the new bill devised to protect the rights of animals will see punishment and fines double when crimes of animal cruelty are committed in South Korea. (image: KobizMedia/ Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, March 21 (Korea Bizwire) – Repeated animal abuse and the sale of stray dogs will be dealt with severely, the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFRA) proclaimed today.
The ministry has called for reforms to the current Animal Protection Law which will tackle head on the problems of animal cruelty and so called ‘puppy mills’, where the reckless breeding and trading of dogs under appalling environmental conditions is prevalent.
When taking effect, the new bill devised to protect the rights of animals will see punishment and fines double when crimes of animal cruelty are committed in South Korea, with the introduction of a new fine for abandoning pet animals as high as 3 million won.
The definition of animal cruelty will cover a broader range of crimes under the reforms proposed by the MAFRA, including publishing pictures or video footage of animal abuse on the internet, using animals in gambling operations such as dog fights, or renting pets for financial gains.
The government is also poised to introduce a so called ‘pet paparazzi’ system where witnesses of instances of animal abuse can be rewarded after reporting the crimes to the police.
The new bill is expected to go into effect by March 2018 after a year of preparation, according to the MAFRA.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
