Three men in their 20s were each sentenced to eight months in prison Tuesday for repeatedly shooting two pet dogs with illegally modified BB guns in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, killing one and leaving the other in need of surgery to remove an eye.
The men were convicted of charges including aggravated property damage for the attack, which took place outside a restaurant on June 8 last year. Two were serving in the Marines at the time.
The Busan District Court Eastern Branch considered the repeated shootings, the dogs’ suffering and the extent of the harm in explaining the sentences.
“The defendants entered the victim’s property and repeatedly fired BB guns at the dogs, injuring them, causing them pain and damaging property,” the court explained.
One of the dogs died after months of treatment.
The court did not take the men into custody, giving them time to reach a settlement with the dogs’ owner. But the owner’s representatives said after the ruling that they would not agree to a settlement.
Animal protection advocates and a Marine veterans’ group attended the hearing to demand tough punishment. The advocates had submitted a petition signed by 120,000 people, while the veterans’ group submitted one with 100,000 signatures.
The animal advocates condemned the men for repeatedly shooting at living creatures. The veterans’ group welcomed the prison sentences, saying the defendants had brought shame on the Marine Corps.
junheee@heraldcorp.com
