A South Korean man is under investigation on suspicion of animal abuse after more than 1,000 dogs were found dead at his home in the country’s northwest province. The bizarre case has come to light after a complaint was lodged by a local man who stumbled upon a man’s home while searching for his dog in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi province, reports the Hong-Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP). .
The suspect, in his 60s, allegedly recovered abandoned dogs and bludgeoned them to death; However, animal rights activists have alleged that they were paid by dog farmers to dispose of them once they became commercially unprofitable.
A member of the animal rights group Care said the accused were paid 10,000 won (US$7.70) for each dog by dog breeders to “take care of them”. Report added.
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Harrowing scenes of dead dogs in cages, sacks and rubber crates emerged in the yard of a man’s home. Members of CARE who also arrived at the crime scene revealed that decomposed bodies had formed a layer on the ground, and more bodies were piled on top to form front rows. He also revealed that the surviving dogs were suffering from skin diseases and malnutrition.
Four rescued dogs are undergoing treatment, out of which two are in critical condition. Animal abuse cases have increased manifold in South Korea in just a decade. The SCMP report further states that the cases have increased from 69 in 2019 to 914 in 2019.
