Dog-bite ‘test’ exposes troubling practices at animal rights organization

CCTV footage from November 2022 inside the offices of animal rights group Korea Animal Rights Advocates (KARA) in Seogyo-dong, Seoul, shows the moment of a dog-biting incident. A staff member claims they were injured while conducting a “bite test” on the dog under the direction of a team leader. Courtesy of KARA labor union

A shocking incident at an animal rights shelter, where a staff member was bitten by a dog during an alleged “aggression test,” has been officially recognized as workplace harassment by labor authorities.

On Aug. 1, the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office concluded that a team leader at Korea Animal Rights Advocates (KARA) engaged in workplace bullying when they allegedly forced a junior activist to stand in front of a dog to test its aggression. The office ordered KARA to separate the victim from the superior and take disciplinary measures.

The ruling comes three months after KARA’s in-house labor union filed a complaint citing verbal abuse, unfair treatment and physical endangerment by the team leader.

Investigators confirmed that in October 2022, the leader told an activist to stand before a dog, saying, “I’ll see if it bites.” The animal lunged and bit the activist’s thigh, leaving a hole in their trousers.

“I was called over to where the dog was kept. As I tried to back away, it bit me,” the staff member later recalled, adding that the moment was even filmed — on the team leader’s orders, according to activists.

Union members said other activists were also exposed to similar tests. Separate from the labor complaint, victims have filed criminal charges against the team leader for special injury, arguing that using an animal to inflict harm qualifies under the law.

CCTV footage from November 2022 shows another activist retreating when the same dog attacked while the leader stood nearby. That activist later said, “I was trying to leave because the dog was there, but the team leader called me back. I ended up in front of the dog, and that’s when it bit me.”

The accused leader has denied wrongdoing, calling the labor office’s decision “one-sided.” The leader has requested another investigation from the Labor Office. “There were many parts of the case that were far from the truth," the leader said. "Even though I submitted counter-evidence, the investigator accepted only one side’s claims and concluded it was workplace harassment.”

Members of the Korea Animal Rights Advocates chapter of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions hold a press conference in front of the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office in Janggyo-dong, Seoul, in May. Korea Times photo by Jeong Jin-uk

Experts disputed the practice, noting the lack of safety measures.

“The video shows many uncontrolled variables that could provoke the dog. In such conditions, it’s impossible to assess true aggression," veterinarian Kwon Hyuk-ho said.

The absence of muzzles also raised safety concerns, but the team leader argued muzzling could harm the breed’s breathing and said they did not anticipate a serious accident.

Police in Paju recently closed the criminal case, citing insufficient evidence, but KARA’s union said it will appeal. Outside animal welfare activists also condemned the practice, saying, “Anyone who thinks this kind of test is acceptable shouldn’t be caring for animals, let alone companion pets.”

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.