Find more ways to help: https://koreandogs.org/nolbit/

😱 Outrage in Jeju: Dog Found Tied on Floating Fish Farm in the Middle of the Ocean 🌊

 

 

In a horrifying case of animal cruelty, a man in Seogwipo, Jeju Province, tied a female dog named Nolbit (“Sunset”) to a floating fish farm, leaving her utterly isolated in the treacherous sea. With no access to land, no shelter, and no proper care, Nolbit was forced to survive for weeks in utter fear and abandonment, surrounded only by the open ocean. The man shamelessly claimed she was there to “guard the fish farm” from theft—as if this helpless animal were a security device, not a living being.

This appalling act came to light only after a horrified witness reported the cruelty. When CARE posted the video, sparking public outrage, the owner moved Nolbit back to his property—clearly realizing he had been exposed, yet still refusing to acknowledge the inhumanity of his actions.

Representatives from CARE (Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth), local private shelter Happy’s, and Seogwipo City officials braved rough, nauseating waters to investigate the site after the dog had been moved. Even seasoned rescuers were overwhelmed by the conditions. Just imagine the sheer terror and relentless seasickness Nolbit endured—day after day, completely alone, chained to a swaying platform next to a flimsy doghouse in the vast, unforgiving sea.

The director of Happy’s Shelter lacks legal expertise in complex cruelty cases. She turned to CARE for help—an urgent and necessary step, especially considering that the director of Happy’s was once imprisoned for three months due to procedural errors during a past rescue. In South Korea, rescuing an animal can carry legal risks—while abusers like this man too often face none.

The owner now claims ignorance, saying he “didn’t know” it was abuse because he works on the ocean too and saw similar setups “on YouTube.” This excuse is not only absurd—it’s dangerous. If online cruelty is normalized, are we now to accept it as lawful?

Back on land, Nolbit and another dog named Bada (meaning “Sea”) were found exposed to the blazing summer sun, without a single patch of shade. “It’s not that hot,” the man insisted—even as green algae festered in their water bowls, clear signs of long-term neglect. His lack of empathy is staggering.

Thankfully, Nolbit has now been surrendered and will be safe at Happy’s Shelter. She will never again endure such fear and suffering. CARE urges the public to support Happy’s—through donations, volunteering, and spreading awareness—to help protect dogs like Nolbit who have no voice.

The man has been allowed to keep Bada, despite clear signs of neglect—simply because he claimed he “takes good care of him” and promised to install a shade. He even claims his nephew is a local veterinarian. If that’s true, does his nephew know this man tied a dog up in the middle of the ocean to suffer?

This is not a misunderstanding. This is premeditated cruelty. And it must not be excused.

We demand justice—not only for Nolbit, but for every animal suffering in silence. What happened here is not just inhumane—it is illegal, and it is morally unacceptable.

From CARE:

🐾 Great News: Dog Rescued from the Middle of the Jeju Sea

We’re relieved to share that the dog who was found cruelly tied to a floating fish farm in the middle of the Jeju sea has finally been rescued!
📺 Watch the full story on YouTube Live: https://www.youtube.com/live/GfNvqkdmF6o

This rescue could not have come at a more critical time—a typhoon warning had just been issued for the region. The dog was discovered tied to a small doghouse on a floating structure, completely isolated and with no way to reach land. According to witnesses, she had been left there for two months.

Disturbingly, this cruel practice—using dogs to “guard” aquaculture farms by tying them in sea cages—is reportedly used by some operators to deter theft. Regardless of the reason, keeping an animal in such extreme, life-threatening conditions is utterly unacceptable.

Had rescuers not intervened before the storm hit, the dog’s life would have been in grave danger. But even without a typhoon, tying a dog to a platform in the middle of the ocean is not just inhumane—it is blatant animal cruelty. This is not a matter of poor judgment or ignorance; it is a serious violation of basic ethical and legal standards.
Specifically, this situation appears to violate South Korea’s Animal Protection Act, including:
• Article 10, Paragraph 2, Section 4 – Acts causing pain to animals
• Article 10, Paragraph 4, Section 2 – Failing to provide animals with a minimum living space

This rescue is a victory—but it must also serve as a wake-up call. We call on authorities and the public to take action, ensure accountability, and demand that such cruel practices come to an end—permanently.

PETITION:

Petition for Prosecution in the Nolbit Cruelty Case and Stronger Companion Animal Protections in South Korea

To the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Korea and relevant government officials,

We respectfully request that you view these videos documenting the rescue of Nolbit, a dog who was tied to a floating fish farm in the middle of the ocean:

📺 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PjV3Zprmn50
📺 https://www.youtube.com/live/GfNvqkdmF6o

I am writing to express my deep outrage and grave concern over the horrific case of animal cruelty that recently occurred in Seogwipo, Jeju Province, where a female dog named Nolbit was tied to a floating fish farm in the middle of the sea and left to endure unimaginable suffering. According to witness reports, Nolbit was kept in these conditions for two months, with no access to land, shelter, or proper care—completely isolated and exposed to storms, scorching sun, and the relentless motion of the ocean.

The man responsible for this appalling act claimed Nolbit was tied there to “guard the fish farm” from theft, treating her as a tool rather than a sentient being. She was tethered beside a flimsy doghouse with no escape, no comfort, and no compassion. Her suffering would have continued unnoticed if not for a courageous witness who reported the abuse. Only after public outrage erupted—following CARE’s exposure of the case—did the owner return her to the land, clearly aware he had been caught but showing no remorse.

This cruelty is not a matter of ignorance or cultural misunderstanding. It is a clear violation of South Korea’s Animal Protection Act, including:
Article 10, Paragraph 2, Section 4 – Acts causing pain to animals
Article 10, Paragraph 4, Section 2 – Failing to provide animals with a minimum living space

Disturbingly, this may not be an isolated incident. The practice of tying dogs to sea cages as “guards” is reportedly used by some aquaculture operators. Such systemic abuse must be urgently addressed.

Nolbit and another dog, Bada, were found living in neglected conditions on land, exposed to the scorching summer sun, without shade, and with only dirty, algae-infested water to drink. Despite this, authorities allowed the owner to retain custody of Bada, relying solely on his unverified promise to “install shade” and “take good care” of the dog.

I respectfully urge the South Korean Prosecution Service and Government to take immediate and decisive action to ensure justice for Nolbit and to prevent future acts of cruelty by:

1. Initiating a full criminal investigation into the actions of the man who tied Nolbit to the floating fish farm and neglected both Nolbit and Bada, with the intent to prosecute under the Animal Protection Act.
2.  Rescuing Bada, as there is clear, ongoing evidence of neglect.
3.  Investigating the reported use of dogs on sea cages across Jeju and other coastal regions and issuing an immediate ban on this practice.
4. Strengthening enforcement of the Animal Protection Act, ensuring that violations result in real consequences, including imprisonment and significant fines.
5. Launching public awareness campaigns and mandatory training for aquaculture operators and local officials to end the use of animals as “tools” for property protection.

What happened to Nolbit is a disgrace to our shared humanity. Leaving a dog tied in the middle of the ocean is not only illegal—it is inhumane and morally indefensible. This case must not be ignored, dismissed, or forgotten. It must set a powerful precedent that cruelty toward animals will never be tolerated in South Korea. An online petition is now active, calling for your swift and meaningful intervention: https://chng.it/8RTBCLc66k

The world is watching. We demand accountability, justice, and urgent reforms to protect the voiceless from enduring such terror ever again.

PETITION IN KOREAN:

노을빛 동물학대 사건의 기소 촉구 및 반려동물 보호 강화를 위한 청원

수신: 대한민국 검찰청 및 정부 관계자 여러분께

다음 영상은 바다 한가운데 떠 있는 어류 양식장에 묶여 있었던 반려견 노을빛을 구조한 내용을 담고 있습니다. 부디 시청해 주시기 바랍니다:
📺 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PjV3Zprmn50
📺 https://www.youtube.com/live/GfNvqkdmF6o

저는 최근 제주도 서귀포 앞바다에서 발생한 끔찍한 동물 학대 사건에 깊은 분노와 우려를 표하며 이 편지를 씁니다. 반려견 노을빛은 약 두 달간 바다 한가운데 떠 있는 어류 양식장에 묶인 채, 육지에 닿을 수 없는 고립된 상황에서 최소한의 보호도 없이 극심한 고통을 겪었습니다. 그녀는 폭풍우와 뜨거운 햇볕, 끊임없이 흔들리는 바다 위에서 참담한 시간을 견뎌야 했습니다.

가해자는 노을빛을 도난 방지를 위해 묶어두었다고 주장하며, 그녀를 살아 있는 생명이 아닌 도구처럼 취급했습니다. 노을빛은 허술한 개집 옆에 묶여 있었고, 피할 곳도, 쉴 곳도, 온기도 없는 상태로 방치되었습니다. 목격자의 신고가 없었다면 이 끔찍한 고통은 계속 은폐되었을 것입니다. 대중의 공분이 일자 소유자는 그녀를 육지로 데려왔지만, 자신의 행위에 대한 반성은 전혀 없었습니다.
이것은 단순한 무지나 문화적 오해의 문제가 아닙니다. 이는 명백히 대한민국 「동물보호법」을 위반한 행위이며, 다음과 같은 조항에 해당합니다:
• 제10조 제2항 제4호: 동물에게 고통을 주는 행위
• 제10조 제4항 제2호: 동물에게 최소한의 사육 공간을 제공하지 않는 행위

더욱 충격적인 사실은, 일부 양식장에서 이와 같은 방식으로 개를 “도난 방지”용으로 사용하는 관행이 반복되고 있다는 점입니다. 이러한 구조적인 학대는 반드시 근절되어야 합니다.

또한, 노을빛과 함께 있었던 또 다른 개 ‘바다’ 역시 육지에서 방치되어 있었습니다. 두 마리 모두 그늘 하나 없는 뙤약볕 아래 노출되어 있었고, 물그릇에는 녹조가 낀 더러운 물만이 있었습니다. 그럼에도 불구하고, 당국은 소유자가 “그늘을 설치하고 잘 돌보겠다”는 검증되지 않은 주장만으로 바다의 보호권을 유지하도록 허용했습니다.

이에 저는 대한민국 검찰청과 정부에 다음과 같은 조치를 즉각 취해 주실 것을 정중히 요청드립니다:

1. 노을빛을 어류 양식장에 묶고, 노을빛과 바다를 방치한 가해자에 대해 「동물보호법」에 따른 철저한 형사 수사 및 기소를 진행해 주십시오.
2. 현재도 방치되고 있는 바다를 즉시 구조해 주십시오.
3. 제주를 포함한 전국 해안 지역에서 개를 해상 어류 양식장(씨케이지)에 묶는 관행을 전수 조사하고, 이를 즉시 금지해 주십시오.
4. 「동물보호법」의 집행력을 강화하여, 위반 시 실질적인 형사처벌 및 과태료 등 강력한 제재가 이루어지도록 해 주십시오.
5. 반려동물을 ‘도구’처럼 사용하는 관행을 중단시키기 위해, 양식업자 및 지자체 공무원 대상의 의무 교육과 대국민 인식 개선 캠페인을 실시해 주십시오.

노을빛이 겪은 고통은 우리의 공동된 인간성에 대한 모욕입니다. 개를 바다 한가운데 묶어두는 것은 단순한 법 위반을 넘어, 비인도적이고 도덕적으로도 결코 용납될 수 없는 행위입니다. 이 사건은 외면되거나 잊혀져서는 안 되며, 대한민국이 동물 학대에 단호하게 대응한다는 강력한 선례가 되어야 합니다.

전 세계가 이 사건을 주목하고 있습니다. 우리는 책임 있는 대응, 정의 실현, 그리고 말 없는 생명들이 다시는 이 같은 고통을 겪지 않도록 제도적 개혁을 강력히 요구합니다. 현재 관련 온라인 청원도 진행 중입니다:
https://chng.it/8RTBCLc66k

감사합니다.