Three men face prison terms for shooting pet dogs with BB gun in Geoje

Three men who fired a BB gun at pet dogs at a restaurant in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, have received sentencing recommendations from prosecutors.

At a final hearing before Judge Kim Eun-su of the Busan District Court's Eastern Branch, prosecutors sought two years in prison each for defendants A and B, both in their 20s, on charges including aggravated destruction of property. A third defendant, C, also in his 20s and facing the same charges, was recommended a sentence of one year and six months.

The three are accused of firing an illegally modified BB pistol at two pet dogs in the yard of a restaurant in Geoje on June 8 last year.

One of the dogs died after receiving treatment until recently. The other suffered serious injuries requiring the removal of an eye.

B and C were active-duty military personnel at the time of the incident.

An animal rights group held a press conference outside the courthouse that day, urging the court to impose a severe punishment. "This is not a simple case of animal abuse — it is a serious act of violence in which thousands of rounds were fired at living creatures," the group said.

The court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on Aug. 18.