📢 The Story of Heendoongi and Gomdoli: A Cry for Justice 💔

posted by KoreanDogs.org team on July 20,2025 in Action Alert, Break the Chains, Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth, Rescue, Uncategorized

Sharing for Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE)

This is Seo-gu (West District) in Incheon. The scorching sun beat down, turning the field into a furnace. For Heendoongi (Whitey) and Gomdoli (Bear), two brothers tied beside a field, the heat wasn’t just uncomfortable—it was a cruel, burning inferno. Day after day, they endured the blistering ground; year after year, they survived brutal summers and bitter winters with no shelter and no relief.

For three long years, Heendoongi suffered through Korea’s harshest seasons. In the freezing cold and suffocating heat, he remained tied to the same spot—exposed, helpless, and forgotten. He felt pain. He cried out. But no one came.

Then, on one of the hottest days of the year, the sun turned deadly. As temperatures soared to 40°C (104°F), Heendoongi began to vomit. His body weakened, his eyes lost focus. Despite his obvious suffering, no help arrived. A concerned neighbor pleaded with the owner to provide shade, prompting the belated setup of a tarp and parasol. But it was too late. Heendoongi collapsed. By the next morning, he was gone—his silent suffering ended in death.

His brother Gomdoli had watched it all. Feeling his own brain burn with the heat, Gomdoli knew he had to escape. With a final surge of strength, he broke free from his leash and ran—to the nearest house, the home of an informant. He couldn’t speak, but his panting breath, trembling limbs, and scorched body cried out: “Please save me.” The informant understood. For over 30 minutes, they sprayed him with water, cooling his feverish body and calming his frantic heart.

But the relief was short-lived. Soon after, the owner returned—coldly dragging the weakened dog back and tying him up again. The world had turned its back once more.

The owner later remarked with stunning indifference, “I thought the other one would die, but it was Heendoongi. He wasn’t eating. Then he died. I untied him later and saw he had come home to die.”

In the end, with nowhere else to go, Heendoongi returned to what he still believed was home. He collapsed there—in the same place that had brought him years of pain—and died.

In the freezing winters, Heendoongi and Gomdoli cried through the night. They were never even given a plastic sheet for warmth. To deny them shade in the summer and cover in the winter is not just neglect—it is cruelty. They endured for three years—feeling pain, longing for comfort, clinging to life. One, by chance, survived. The other did not.

Emergency Rescue Success

Gomdoli is alive.

After his location was confirmed, CARE successfully carried out an emergency rescue. Gomdoli has been rushed to the hospital and is now recovering. He will live—not just to survive, but to become a voice for change.

CARE will protect Gomdoli and ensure that his life is never again reduced to silent suffering. We will use every means necessary to hold the owner of Heendoongi and Gomdoli accountable—and to ensure they reflect deeply on their actions.

A Call for Legislative Change

Even now, across South Korea, countless dogs just like Heendoongi and Gomdoli are suffering—tethered in yards and fields, exposed to the elements, dying slow, unseen deaths. Their pain is not natural. It is preventable. It is man-made. And it must stop.

If the previous government had the courage to ban dog slaughter, the current government must go further: it must ban the lifelong tethering and abandonment of dogs outdoors. Dogs are not tools. They are not property. They are sentient beings who feel pain, love, fear, and hope.

CARE is calling for:

A ban on lifelong outdoor tethering and confinement
Prohibiting the isolation of dogs at locations separate from where their guardian resides
An expanded legal definition of “companion animal” to include all field and yard dogs
A companion animal tax to fund welfare and enforcement
Mandatory welfare checks and guardian education programs

Unrecorded deaths are forgotten. And forgotten deaths are repeated.

Please, join us. Visit President Lee Jae-myung’s Instagram account @2_jaemyung and tag him in the comments. Be a strong voice for Heendoongi, for Gomdoli, and for the thousands of dogs still suffering in silence.

Legislation saves lives.
It’s time to end the suffering of Korea’s forgotten dogs.

💗🐾🙏 In addition to these recent rescues, CARE provides a sanctuary for 800 dogs at their shelters, all rescued from the horrors of dog meat farms and puppy mills. Your donation will support CARE’s vital mission to end the dog meat trade and animal cruelty in South Korea, and will directly assist with the medical care, fostering, and overseas adoption of these deserving dogs.
You can make a one-time or monthly donation via PayPal. 👉 https://animalrights.or.kr/pages/paypal.php
Thank you for your support! 💙

For 25 years, CARE’s integrity in using donations has been recognized by South Korea’s Ministry of Justice,
as well as its citizens and communities.

💗 Donate Monthly

💗 Donate One Time

💗 To donate to Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE), the best option is to contribute directly to them. However, we have set up a GoFundMe page for those who prefer an alternative where you can donate and share with your friends and family. Rest assured, 100% of the funds raised on GoFundMe will be donated to CARE. (South Korea is not on the list of Countries supported on GoFundMe, so KoreanDogs.org is raising money for CARE instead.) 👉 GoFundMe Link: https://gofund.me/d483838d

✍🏼 Sign the Petition

Call for Action

👉 Click HERE to file a petition with the South Korean government through e-People online. (You can use our “Suggested message” below or write your own.)

📌 Need help with the e-People petition? Click HERE for instructions.

👉 📧 Send emails to the Incheon Metropolitan Council and the South Korean National Assembly.

👉 📬 Send letters to the South Korean Government.

Prosecutor General of Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office
[06590] 157 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul
South Korea

National Assembly of the Republic of Korea
[07233] 1 Uisadang-daero, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul
South Korea

Office of the President of the Republic of Korea
[04383] 22 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
South Korea

Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA)
Sejong Government Complex
[30110] 94 Dasom 2-ro, Sejong
South Korea

📬Addresses in Korean:

Prosecutor General of Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office
검찰
[06590] 서울특별시 서초구 반포대로 157
South Korea

National Assembly of the Republic of Korea
대한민국 국회
[07233] 서울특별시 영등포구 의사당대로 1
South Korea

Office of the President of the Republic of Korea
대한민국 대통령실
[04383] 서울특별시 용산구 이태원로 22
South Korea

Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA)
농림축산식품부 장관
[30110] 세종특별자치시 다솜2로 94
정부세종청사
South Korea

📝 Suggested message

Petition for Prosecution in Extreme Animal Cruelty Case and Stronger Companion Animal Protection in South Korea

To the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Korea and Relevant Government Officials,

We ask that you view these videos documenting the suffering of Heendoongi and Gomdoli:
https://youtube.com/shorts/GeSWrYuD11w
https://youtube.com/shorts/I5ZRYAeXBkY

I am writing with deep sorrow and outrage regarding the horrific suffering endured by two dogs—Heendoongi and Gomdoli—whose tragic story has come to symbolize the systemic failure to protect companion animals in South Korea.

For three long years, Heendoongi (Whitey) and his brother Gomdoli (Bear) were chained beside a field, exposed to Korea’s brutal winters and blistering summers with no shelter or relief. Day after day, they endured burning heat, freezing cold, hunger, thirst, and utter neglect. Their cries of pain and distress were met with silence—they were left to suffer, unseen and unheard.

On a blisteringly hot day as temperatures soared to 40°C (104°F), Heendoongi began vomiting and showing clear signs of heatstroke. A neighbor pleaded with the owner to offer shade. Only then was a parasol belatedly set up. But it was too late—Heendoongi collapsed from the heat and died by morning. His brother Gomdoli, having witnessed the entire ordeal, made a desperate escape to a nearby neighbor. Trembling and overheated, his body pleaded for relief. A neighbor tried to cool him down, but soon after, the owner arrived and heartlessly dragged Gomdoli back, tying him once again to the very place of his suffering.

The owner later stated with shocking indifference, “I thought the other one would die, but it was Heendoongi. He wasn’t eating. Then he died. I untied him later and saw he had come home to die.”

This is not simply neglect—it is deliberate cruelty. To deny animals basic protection from the elements for years, and then fail to act even when one collapses in extreme distress, is a gross violation of moral and legal responsibility.

We urgently request the following actions:

1. Investigate and Prosecute the Owner:
Launch a full investigation into the abuse and death of Heendoongi and the prolonged suffering of Gomdoli. Prosecute the owner under South Korea’s Animal Protection Act for willful neglect, failure to provide shelter, and causing death by inaction. This case must not be ignored.

2. Ban Lifelong Tethering and Outdoor Confinement:
End the cruel practice of leaving dogs permanently chained outdoors, exposed to extreme weather, without proper shelter, care, or interaction. Dogs are not tools—they are sentient beings.

3. Prohibit the Isolation of Dogs Away from Their Guardians:
Enact laws to prohibit keeping dogs at isolated or unmonitored locations separate from where their guardians reside. This practice often leads to chronic neglect and suffering.

4. Expand the Definition of “Companion Animal”:
Legally recognize all field and yard dogs as “companion animals,” ensuring that the same standards of care, protection, and enforcement apply to them as to indoor pets.

5. Introduce a Companion Animal Tax:
Establish a tax dedicated to funding animal welfare enforcement, shelter services, and public education programs on proper animal care and legal responsibilities.

6. Mandatory Welfare Checks and Guardian Education:
Require regular inspections and welfare checks for all dogs kept outdoors and implement mandatory education for guardians on humane treatment, responsibilities, and consequences of neglect.

The suffering and death of Heendoongi—and the near-fatal neglect of Gomdoli—must not become just another forgotten tragedy. These dogs endured unimaginable pain for years, and one paid the ultimate price.

The previous government banned dog slaughter; the current government must take it a step further. The time has come to outlaw lifelong tethering, isolation, and neglect. The world is watching—and justice demands both accountability and systemic reform.

An online petition is now active, calling for your intervention: https://chng.it/5mzC7fxJRg. Please do what is right. Prosecute the individual responsible. Pass meaningful laws to ensure that no dog in South Korea will ever again endure what Heendoongi and Gomdoli suffered.

Sincerely,

[Your name, city, country]

📝 Suggested message in Korean

잔인한 동물학대 사건의 기소와 반려동물 보호 강화를 위한 국민 청원

대한민국 검찰총장 및 관련 정부 관계자 여러분께,

다음 영상은 개 흰둥이와 곰돌이가 겪은 고통을 생생히 보여줍니다. 꼭 시청해 주시기 바랍니다.
https://youtube.com/shorts/GeSWrYuD11w
https://youtube.com/shorts/I5ZRYAeXBkY

저는 지금 깊은 슬픔과 분노를 안고 이 글을 씁니다. 개 흰둥이와 곰돌이가 겪은 끔찍한 학대는, 대한민국 반려동물 보호 시스템의 심각한 결함을 적나라하게 드러내는 상징적 사례입니다.

3년 동안 흰둥이와 곰돌이는 쇠사슬에 묶인 채, 불볕더위와 혹한 속에 방치되었습니다. 그늘도 없이 타는 듯한 더위, 살을 에는 추위, 배고픔과 갈증 속에서 고통을 견디며 살아야 했습니다. 아무리 울부짖어도 아무도 응답하지 않았고, 그들의 고통은 외면당한 채 묻혔습니다.

섭씨 40도의 폭염 속, 흰둥이는 구토를 하고 열사병 증상을 보였습니다. 제보자가 간절히 요청한 끝에 차광막과 파라솔이 뒤늦게 설치됐지만, 이미 늦었습니다. 극심한 열기에 뇌가 녹아내린 듯, 흰둥이는 다음 날 굳은 채 발견되었습니다.

그 모든 과정을 지켜본 곰돌이는 공포에 질려 인근 이웃 집으로 탈출했습니다. 그는 온몸을 떨며 지쳐 있었고, 뜨거운 몸은 구조를 애타게 호소했습니다. 이웃은 급히 물을 뿌려 체온을 낮추고 안정을 취하게 했습니다. 그러나 그 평온은 오래가지 않았습니다. 잠시 후, 주인이 도착해 탈진한 곰돌이를 다시 끌고 가, 그 고통의 자리로 또다시 묶어버렸습니다.

주인은 이후 이렇게 말했습니다. “이 애가 죽을 줄 알았더니 저 애가 죽었어….뭘 안 먹더라구, 그러다 죽었어. 나중에 줄을 풀어 줬는데 보니까 집에 와 죽어 있더라구.”

이것은 단순한 부주의나 방임이 아닌, 명백한 학대입니다. 수년간 최소한의 보호도 제공하지 않고, 고통으로 쓰러지는 순간조차 아무런 조치를 하지 않는 것은 도덕적·법적 책무를 정면으로 위반한 것입니다.

이에 우리는 다음과 같은 시급한 조치를 촉구합니다:

1. 소유주에 대한 철저한 수사 및 기소
흰둥이의 사망과 곰돌이의 장기적 고통에 대해 철저한 수사를 실시하고, ‘동물보호법’에 따라 고의적 방임 및 무조치에 의한 사망 혐의로 소유주를 엄정히 기소해 주십시오.

2. 평생 묶는 행위 및 야외 방치 금지
반려견을 야외에 영구히 묶고 극단적 기후에 노출시키는 잔혹한 관행을 법으로 금지해 주십시오. 개는 감정을 지닌 생명이지, 도구가 아닙니다.

3. 보호자 없는 분리사육 금지
반려인이 거주하지 않는 외딴 장소에 개를 장기간 방치하는 행위를 법적으로 금지해 주십시오. 이는 구조 사각지대를 만들고 방임을 고착화합니다.

4. ‘반려동물’의 법적 정의 확대
모든 시골개, 마당개를 포함한 야외견도 법적으로 반려동물로 인정하여, 동일한 보호 기준과 처벌 규정을 적용해 주십시오.

5. 반려동물세 확립
동물복지 단속, 보호소 운영, 반려문화 교육을 위한 ‘반려동물 복지세’를 확립해 주십시오.

6. 정기 복지 점검 및 보호자 교육 시스템 도입
야외에서 사육되는 개에 대해 정기적인 복지 점검을 법제화하고, 보호자에게 동물학대 방지와 적절한 보호의무에 관한 교육을 의무화해 주십시오.

흰둥이는 인간의 무관심과 방임 속에 목숨을 잃었습니다. 곰돌이는 가까스로 생존했지만, 극한의 고통을 겪었습니다. 이들의 이야기가 또 하나의 잊혀진 사건으로 끝나서는 안 됩니다.

이전 정부가 개 도살 금지라는 역사를 만들었다면, 지금의 정부는 동물 방임과 고립을 금지하는 진짜 동물복지 입법으로 나아가야 합니다.

전 세계가 대한민국을 지켜보고 있습니다. 지금이야말로 정의를 실현하고, 법과 제도를 바로잡을 때입니다.

👉 온라인 청원이 진행 중입니다: https://chng.it/5mzC7fxJRg 부디 정의를 실현해 주십시오. 책임자를 기소해 주시고, 흰둥이와 곰돌이처럼 고통받는 개들이 다시는 생기지 않도록 해 주십시오.

감사합니다.

👉 Post on X and Bluesky.

.@Jaemyung_Lee 📢 Chained to Die in Heat: Justice for Heendoongi—Ban Tethering/Outdoor Confinement in Korea! #AnimalWelfareKorea #StopAnimalAbuse ✍️Petition https://chng.it/5mzC7fxJRg ✊Act Now https://koreandogs.org/heendoongi/

Categories: Action Alert, Break the Chains, Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth, Rescue, Uncategorized