52 Dogs Abandoned in Trash-Filled Homes... Man in His 60s Arrested and Referred for Prosecution

Some Dogs Died, 18 Fell Ill
Reports Filed by Residents for Several Years

A man in his 60s has been referred for prosecution on charges of animal abuse after abandoning dozens of dogs in unsanitary apartments and houses filled with filth and trash, causing some to die on purpose.

According to Yonhap News Agency on July 14, the Chuncheon Police Station in Gangwon Province arrested and referred a 64-year-old man, identified as Mr. A, on suspicion of violating the Animal Protection Act. Mr. A is accused of abandoning 52 dogs at five locations, including apartments and houses in Chuncheon, over a period of several years, resulting in their deaths, and causing diseases such as heartworm in an additional 18 dogs.

Dogs abandoned inside an apartment filled with trash. Chuncheon Police Station, Gangwon Province

Investigations revealed that Mr. A left the dogs in an unhygienic environment filled with filth and piles of garbage, without providing them with food or water.

On April 1 at around 3:30 p.m., police received a report from a resident in Hyoja-dong, Chuncheon, stating that "a puppy had died inside a house with the door open." Police discovered the scene of abuse upon arrival.

The police, together with Chuncheon City Hall, conducted a joint inspection of 15 properties owned by Mr. A, obtaining evidence of animal abuse. On July 9, the police conducted a search and seizure at Mr. A’s home, apartments, and houses, spanning five locations, and performed disease testing on 45 dogs. Based on findings of deaths and illness among the dogs, authorities then applied for an arrest warrant for Mr. A. The court found there was a risk of evidence tampering and issued the arrest warrant on July 12.

Mr. A has reportedly abandoned dozens of dogs on multiple occasions in apartments he owns around Chuncheon for the past ten years, resulting in repeated complaints and reports from residents. Statistics show there were a total of 27 official complaints or National Sinmungo (public petition) reports related to Mr. A filed with Chuncheon City Hall over the past three years. As telephone complaints are not included in these statistics, the actual number of reports is presumed to be even higher.

In September 2023, the city, with Mr. A’s consent, rescued 17 dogs from a house filled with garbage and feces. In September last year, an additional 27 dogs were rescued and taken into protective care.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.