South Korea to impose up to five-year pet bans on serious animal abusers

South Korea is set to amend its Animal Protection Act so that courts can bar people convicted of serious animal abuse from owning pets for a period of up to five years, with the provision slated to begin in October next year. Animals belonging to accused owners may stay under protective custody until a final verdict is reached, and offenders will face limits on adopting from municipal shelters. The legislation introduces fines of up to 1 million won for breaches such as inadequate shelter or overly short leashes, and penalties of up to 5 million won for more serious infractions.

It also requires pet breeders to renew licenses every five years and subjects fake rescue shelters to naming restrictions. Local authorities may record dog-bite incidents in registration files, and dangerous dogs that are old or ill may be exempt from neutering but will face breeding limits. Lee Yong-jik of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said the reforms answer long-standing calls from animal-protection advocates and were expedited through expert consultations.