Coming soon after news about a woman who died after being bitten by a dog owned by a member of K-pop group Super Junior, Korea has announced that it will introduce stronger punishments for dog owners who let their animals run loose, starting from March 2018.
The rules will include fines for people who don't clean up animal feces as well as fines for those who let their dogs go unleashed in public places. The fines will be on a rising scale with first-time offenders only having to pay 200,000 won, second-time offenders having to pay 300,000, and third-time offenders having to pay 500,000 won.
This is quite a raise when compared to the current fines which only stand at 50,000 won for a first offense, 70,000 for a second, and 100,000 for a third.
As it stands, dog owners have to leash their animals and take safety precautions when they take them out in public. As well as this, owners of certain types of dog such as pit bulls and rottweilers have to muzzle their dogs in public spaces.
Dog breeds that currently have to be muzzled include American Pit Bull Terriers, Rottweilers, and Staffordshire Terriers, although other types of dogs are expected to be added to this list.
Yonhap News have reported that the number of dog bites that occurred last year stood at 1,019, more than four times the amount that occurred in 2011.
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