A pizza restaurant owner accused of animal abuse after customers find pet dog in the refrigerator

Amid the recent heatwave warning in South Korea, a photo spreading online has sparked controversy over animal abuse. The photo shows a pet dog kept inside a refrigerator at a pizza shop in Busan. 

According to the Busan Jungbu Police Station on July 31, a report of suspected animal abuse was filed at around 8:10 PM on July 29. The report claimed that a pet dog was inside a pizza shop refrigerator and that the owner might be abusing the animal.

A police official stated, "Upon checking the scene, the refrigerator temperature was not at a particularly low level," adding, "We plan to investigate whether the owner violated the Animal Protection Act."

After the police responded to the scene, the related post, along with photos, quickly spread through online communities. The dog is reportedly an 11-year-old female Maltese.

The woman in her 60s, who owns the pizza shop and the dog, explained in a phone interview with Yonhap News, "This happened out of concern for the health of 'Cookie' (the dog's name). She suffers from acute heart disease." The woman added, "Cookie had just been discharged after being hospitalized and treated for acute heart disease for a week." 

The dog's owner further explained, "The vet warned that heat could be fatal for Cookie, but the shop's air conditioner broke down, so I laid a cushion in the lower compartment of the refrigerator and had her stay there briefly. I put her in there and took her back out repeatedly."

However, she admitted, "It was my mistake to put Cookie in a refrigerator used to store sauces for human consumption. I was only worried that Cookie, who is like a daughter to me, might not survive the heatwave. I sincerely apologize to my customers."

Shim In Seop, head of the animal protection group LIFE, commented, "To apply animal abuse charges, it is important to determine whether there was intent to harm the dog. Based on the explanation so far, it does not appear that there was intent, but the owner should still exercise caution about placing a dog in a refrigerator."

Experts stressed that senior dogs with acute heart disease are especially vulnerable during the ongoing heatwave and require careful management.

Moon Hee Seop, director of The Hue Animal Medical Center in Busan, stated, "Dogs suffering from acute heart disease often have trouble breathing and experience elevated blood pressure in hot weather. At 11 years old, the dog is considered elderly in human years, so keeping her temperature down in the summer is crucial." He added, "While I understand the owner's concern, if the air conditioner is broken, it is better to use cooling mats rather than a refrigerator."