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| Park So-youn, head of the animal rights group CARE, speaks at a press conference in southern Seoul, Jan. 19, over her alleged euthanasia of more than 250 dogs. Police searched CARE's office and animal shelters, Thursday, as part of their investigation into the allegation. / Yonhap |
By Kim Rahn
Police searched the office and eight other locations of the Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE), Thursday, in their investigation into the animal rights group head's alleged euthanasia of hundreds of animals.
Investigators from Jongno Police Station seized accounting books and other materials, and inspected animal shelters run by the group.
The search comes about three weeks after a group staffer blew the whistle that CARE leader Park So-youn euthanized more than 250 animals rescued from dog farms without the knowledge of staff or donors.
"After reviewing the seized materials, we'll decide who to summon, including CARE staff members," a police officer said. "After questioning those people first, we'll summon Park."
The whistleblower claimed Park had put 250 dogs to sleep since 2015 because of a lack of space to keep the rescued animals. Park is also accused of fraud because CARE raised funds from donors by telling them the group did not administer euthanasia.
Park claimed she only euthanized sick or large dogs that were not easily adopted, saying it was an inevitable choice and a minimum animal protection activity in their rescue operation of animals from farms that raised dogs for meat.
According to CARE's board of directors, 1,400 donors have canceled their membership since the allegation emerged, and thus monthly donations to the group have been reduced by 25 million won ($22,400). It said restructuring and layoffs were inevitable following the drop in donations.
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