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Four-year prison term finalized for pet owner who kept dogs off leash, leading to multiple attacks

Published: 10 Feb. 2026, 15:46

A German shepherd attacks a person dressed in padding during a training session at the Strapestone Kennels in Radstock, England, on March 5, 2025, in this photo unrelated to the story. [AP/YONHAP]

A dog owner who failed to keep two aggressive dogs on leashes, leading to multiple dog-bite incidents, was sentenced to four years in prison. The ruling was finalized by the Supreme Court on Dec. 24 last year, according to legal sources on Tuesday.

The court dismissed the owner’s appeal and affirmed lower court decisions that imposed prison time and confiscation of the dogs.

Prosecutors said the owner kept two large and aggressive dogs — a Presa Canario and a Caucasian shepherd — without leashes or proper fencing at a home in Goheung County, South Jeolla. The dogs were registered but were allowed to roam freely.

Despite repeated complaints from nearby residents, the owner refused to restrain the animals. Instead, the owner posted warning signs reading “Beware of dog” and “No entry.”

The dogs were involved in five incidents in 2024. Three of the victims were delivery workers. On three occasions, the two dogs bit and tore at the buttocks, thighs and calves of delivery workers while they were making deliveries.

Local residents were also harmed. In March 2024, one of the dogs bit the calf of a 50-year-old man who was passing by. Some of the victims had to undergo leg surgery and required hospitalization or outpatient treatment as a result of the attacks.

A rescue dog is seen at an airport in Turkey on Feb. 8, 2023, in this file photo unrelated to the story. [AFP/YONHAP]

In November 2024, the dogs ran onto a coastal road and repeatedly bit a man in his 60s who was taking a morning walk, inflicting serious injuries to his face, abdomen, arms, back and genitals.

The victim suffered damage to muscles and tendons and underwent multiple surgeries, according to the court. The person also developed acute sepsis due to the injuries.

The dog owner was brought to trial on charges of failing to take necessary safety measures to prevent dog-bite incidents, in violation of the Animal Protection Act, and causing serious bodily injury through gross negligence.

A lower court sentenced the owner to four years in prison and ordered the confiscation of the two dogs.

A Belgian shepherd dog is seen during a training session at Hanover University in Hanover, Germany on Feb. 3, 2020, in this stock photo unrelated to the story. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

“The victims not only suffered physical pain but also endured severe psychological trauma,” the court said. “Despite these circumstances, the defendant blamed the victims and failed to offer a sincere apology or make efforts toward compensation.”

In determining the sentence, the court also took into account post-crime conduct, including the dog owner’s filing false accusations against the victims after the incidents and staging protests for several days while shouting insults.

The owner claimed that the dogs did not bite any passersby, but the argument was rejected based on victim testimony and other evidence.

The owner appealed, but the appellate court dismissed the claims, stating that there was no misunderstanding of legal principles and that the sentence could not be considered unjust for being excessively heavy or light. With the Supreme Court dismissing the final appeal, the ruling was finalized.

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 CHOI SEO-IN [[email protected]]