Heartbreaking Video captures devoted dog's attempt to follow owner after being abandoned on Jeju Island

A distressing video showing a dog being abandoned on a rural road in Jeju Island, followed by its desperate chase after the owner's departing vehicle, has sparked outrage on social media.The owner has earned much criticism from netizens, who were angered and saddened by the plight of the abandoned animal.

On October 29, a video was posted on the Instagram account Challenginghaha, showing a dog being abandoned in Jeju Island.

The netizen who shared the video said, "I came to Jeju Island for a trip and happened to witness the scene of a dog being abandoned, so I followed them."

The video shows the dog chasing the car with all its might to avoid losing its owner.

The video captures the dog's desperate struggle to keep up with the accelerating car as if understanding that even the slightest lag would lead to eternal separation from its owner.

The netizen who shared the video said, "I didn't stop pursuing them. When I finally managed to catch up, they suddenly halted, pulled the dog by its neck, and pulled it up into their car. Then they gave us a quick look before bolting away."

They continued, "If you happen to see this dog in Jeju Island, please take care of it."

Netizens reacted to the video with strong rebuke towards the heartless owner and sympathy for the haplessly abandoned dog. The incident has started discussions on pet ownership responsibilities and animal rights.

Netizens commented, "They definitely can see the dog chasing them through their side mirrors. How heartless of them. The dog was once their family member. What are they doing? If they're going to abandon the dog like that, don't get one in the first place," "They later said they were walking the dog. but who walks the dog like that? They were driving away so fast," "This is hurting my heart so much. I can see how scared the dog is by seeing how it's desperately running after the car," "That dog is chasing after its owner so desperately...I am so sad for the dog," "I can't imagine how the dog is feeling, chasing after its owner who is clearly abandoning it," "They need to be fined," "Get the license plate number," and "Poor baby... this is so heartaching."

In light of this, it's crucial to note that South Korean law mandates penalties for abandoning animals under the Animal Protection Act.  An abandonment can incur fines of up to 3 million KRW (approximately 2,222 USD). If the animal abandoned is considered dangerous, the repercussions can be as severe as two years imprisonment or a fine of up to 20 million KRW (about 14,814 USD). 

Yet, it's worth noting that there's a general lack of enforcement of these penalties unless witnesses come forward to provide evidence and report the incident, highlighting the need for stronger regulation and public responsibility.