Cheonan man booked for dragging 'overweight' dog to death behind e-bike

Police in Cheonan booked a man in his 50s for allegedly killing his dog by dragging it behind an electric bicycle.

Animal abuse dog illustration [JOONGANG ILBO]

Police in Cheonan booked a man in his 50s for allegedly killing his dog by dragging it behind an electric bicycle.

Cheonan Dongnam Police said Saturday the man faces charges under the Animal Protection Act.

Investigators say the suspect tethered his large dog to his e-bike on Aug. 22 around 7:50 p.m. in the city’s Dongnam District. Witnesses reported seeing the animal bleeding and being pulled along the road before confronting the man and calling the police.

The dog was still alive when rescued, but died on the way to an animal hospital. A veterinarian said suffocation was the likely cause of death.

The suspect has denied wrongdoing, telling police he was only trying to exercise his overweight pet.

Authorities are investigating the incident further, including whether the man abused the dog on other occasions.

Under Korean law, killing or causing severe suffering to an animal without just cause carries a penalty of up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won ($14,483).

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY JANG GU-SEUL [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]