Veterinarian Commenting on Fox Terrier Incident: "The Dog Was Somewhat Startled..."
[News S= Reporter Kim A-hyun] Veterinarian Seol Chae-hyun commented on a recent fox terrier incident, saying "it appears the owner lacks the qualifications to be a guardian."
On the 21st of last month, an incident occurred at an apartment in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, where an unmuzzled fox terrier bit a 35-month-old girl, causing serious injuries. The dog was known to have displayed aggression multiple times to residents, including biting a boy living in the same apartment in January.
The fox terrier's owner stated, "I only let the dog off the leash in a place without people because it seemed unfortunate and frustrating that the dog had to wear a muzzle for extended periods."
The owner's attitude is problematic, considering that the highly aggressive fox terrier breed was found to have bitten a young child twice, yet they took such a stance.
Veterinarian Seol Chae-hyun told TBS: "The dog has an aggressive disposition, and it is the puppy's owner's fault. But to somewhat advocate for the puppy's perspective, it appears to have been an aggressive attack when the dog was somewhat startled and surprised, and a child suddenly appeared. However, regardless, it was wrong to not muzzle a dog with such a history in the first place, and it was also wrong to use a leash that could freely extend and retract. From what I've seen so far, the owner appears to lack the qualifications to be a guardian."
He added, "In countries like Germany, there are cases where dog owners must undergo several weeks of mandatory training. In Korea, there are no such restrictions at all. Dog owners should attend at least several hours of such training, and because there are no such restrictions, I actually see many pet owners who have virtually no knowledge about dogs."
He continued, "To prevent such incidents, I don't think the registration system itself will have a significant effect. It can only help with how to handle accidents when they occur. To prevent accidents, I believe comprehensive education for owners and raising their sense of responsibility when raising pets, as well as raising the barriers to dog ownership somewhat higher, would be more effective ways to reduce such incidents."