SEOUL, A Supreme Court commission has decided to put together sentencing guidelines on animal abuse crimes that judges can refer to when delivering verdicts on such cases amid heightened social interest in animal welfare, officials said Tuesday.

The Sentencing Commission reached the decision during a meeting Monday, officials said.

The new guidelines will recommend sentences for largely two types of crimes, one of them involving acts leading to the death of animals and the other involving acts that inflict pain on or hurt animals, officials said.

The current law punishes those crimes with up to three years and two years in prison, respectively.

“Increased social interest in animal welfare has also led to public concern for animals’ right to life,” the commission said, adding it has agreed on setting the new guidelines based on growing public interest and the increasing number of animal abuse cases in the country.

In fact, the number of animal abuse cases reported to police has shot up from 69 cases in 20
10 to 1,072 in 2021 and 1,237 in 2022.

The court has been a target of criticism for its lenient punishments despite a huge leap in the pet animal population and a change in social perceptions.

The details of the guidelines will be decided in November before being finalized after due process in March next year.

Source: Yonhap News Agency