Pet salon's handling of dog sparks abuse claims

Kibok hospitalized after the grooming (KARA)

A controversy has opened up over whether a dog was abused at a pet grooming salon in Wonju, Gangwon Province.

Animal protection group Korea Animal Rights Advocates said on social media on July 29 that they analyzed CCTV footage from the salon and found evidence of the owner using a leash to inflict pain on the dog, named Gibok. KARA asserted it was an act of animal abuse.

The footage shows a man, who appears to be associated with the salon, dragging Gibok using a leash for about 20 minutes. Gibok resisted and later urinated on the floor out of fear, with a bleeding mouth. However, the owner persistently attempted to groom the weary Gibok. It also shows Gibok lying on the floor, experiencing leg tremors.

Gibok's guardian informed KARA that Gibok had lived as a rescued dog for five years, was fearful of human touch, and disliked water. Despite the guardian's request to avoid excessive grooming, the groomer forcefully bathed Gibok and even put him in the tub against his will.

Afterward, Gibok was hospitalized, showing symptoms including hyperventilation, elevated liver enzymes, and increased intracranial pressure, according to the guardian.

However, local officials who investigated the salon stated that they did not find clear evidence of animal abuse in the CCTV footage. They believed that the actions observed after the grooming attempt, the use of protective gloves during grooming, and the joint grooming effort suggested that the intentions were grooming rather than abuse.

There has been significant criticism on social media regarding the forced grooming of Gibok, despite prior warnings against excessive grooming.

On the other hand, some argue that managing an aggressive dog like Gibok might demand a certain degree of assertiveness.

By Cho Min-jeong(blacknib@heraldcorp.com)