Parents go viral for public apology after child fails to clean up dog waste
An AI-generated image depicts a child and parents apologizing to neighbors after a child failed to clean up after the family's dog during a walk. Created by ChatGPT-DALL·E 4.0
A handwritten apology by a child and a formal statement from the parents were posted in their apartment complex after the child failed to clean up after the family's dog. The gesture has drawn widespread praise online for the parents' responsible approach to parenting.
A post titled “Apology letter spotted at an apartment complex” began spreading rapidly on online forums such as FM Korea on Monday. The post included photos of a neatly written apology from the parents, identified only as A, along with a handwritten note by their youngest child.
In the letter, A details the incident and expresses regret: “On the evening of May 8, our youngest child took our dog for a walk. On the way back, the dog defecated in front of the elevator on the first floor, and the child failed to clean it up. We were informed of the situation through the apartment management office.”
The parent continued, “We sincerely apologize to all residents who use the elevator and were made uncomfortable by this incident. As parents, we take full responsibility for not properly teaching our child the basic etiquette of communal living.”
The letter also noted that the child was instructed to always carry waste bags during walks and was told to write a personal apology to reflect on the incident.
Beneath the parent’s statement was a handwritten note believed to be from the child, which read, in misspelled but sincere language: “I did not clean up my dog’s poop in front of the elevator. I’m really sorry. My parents scolded me a lot, and I truly regret it. From now on, I will clean it up right away.”
The post has been met with widespread praise, with online users calling it “a great example of parenting,” “a perfect apology that includes both the cause and the response,” and “a model of responsible discipline.”
Under Korea’s Animal Protection Act, pet owners are required to clean up any waste their animals leave in shared residential areas such as elevators. Failure to do so can result in fines of up to 500,000 won ($370).
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.