Vigilantes damage woman’s home after dog abuse video uploaded to social media
A woman’s home in Kaohsiung City was vandalized yesterday, after animal lovers responded to a video uploaded to social media that showed the woman beating a dog with a broomstick.
On May 8, Ms Huang (黃), a resident of Linyuan District, became angry after finding out a dog adopted by her neighbors, named Guo (郭), had damaged her pot plants. Huang demanded Ms Guo compensate her for the damage to her plants.
After Guo refused to pay for the damage, on the basis that she had not raised the dog, Huang grabbed a broom, and Huang and her daughter cornered the dog in what appears to be an abandoned house, before beating it mercilessly.
Ms Guo filmed the incident, while Ms Huang’s daughter attempted to block the camera.
Guo uploaded the video to a citizen reporting Facebook group “Explosive News Commune,” where the incident generated public anger, and a response from animal protection authorities.
Kaohsiung City Animal Protection Office sought Huang and Guo out, and asked them to accompany them to the local police station to investigate the incident. The investigation determined that Huang had violated animal protection laws, and Ms Huang could face a penalty of up to NT$75,000.
Animal protection officers took the dog to a veterinary hospital for an examination, and the extent of its injuries will be used to determine the level of penalty.
Ms Guo claimed not to have raised the dog, and police said that Guo had not violated the law, and that Huang should seek compensation via civil channels.
It appears that the dog is a stray, that Guo took pity on, and left food out for. The animal protection officers urged people not to abuse or harm animals. If they have a problem with stray dogs, they can report it to the animal protection office.
While Guo and Huang were at the police station, a group of around 5 people arrived in the neighborhood, and threw eggs at Huang’s house, smashed a window with a stick, knocked over a scooter and emptied the content of plant pots onto it, and painted a swear word on the door.
Police are now investigating the vigilante vandalism incident, and using street camera footage in an attempt to identify the perpetrators.
Sources: United Daily News, ET Today.
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Sadly, animals (and foreigners) in Taiwan just don’t have any rights at all. After the ‘cuteness’ of a puppy has gone, dogs are usually abandoned or kept in small cages on the front porch in the scooter smog. How can a the extent of the abuse to this poor dog determine the value of the fine? That’s usually how the law is exercised when a perpetrator does something wrong to another human?