One of 11 wolf dogs that escaped from a farm in Seosan on June 16. [Newsis]
One of 11 wolf dogs that escaped from a farm in Seosan on June 16. [Newsis]

Another adult wolf dog that escaped from a farm in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, and alarmed local residents has returned on its own.

According to Seosan city officials, one of the three wolf dogs still unaccounted for — an adult — walked back to its enclosure at a farm in Yeomi-ri, Unsan-myeon, just after 11 p.m. Tuesday. The city and fire department are still tracking the remaining two, both juveniles.

The incident began when 11 of the 18 wolf dogs kept at the farm broke out all at once around 2 a.m. on June 16. The farm owner and authorities immediately set up capture traps and caught seven of the animals alive, but the other four remained missing for more than a week.

Then, around midnight Tuesday, one adult entered an open enclosure on its own, and later that same day another adult also returned to the farm.

The owner, identified only by the surname A, is an ordinary office worker rather than a professional breeder. He adopted two wolf dogs two years ago — one from a professional breeder and one from a private home — and had been raising a total of 11 animals, including pups born from the pair.

Wolf dogs are not classified as dangerous dogs under the Animal Protection Act.

"Since these dogs were raised on the farm, we believe they are staying close to the area rather than wandering far," a city official said, urging nearby residents to call 119 immediately if they spot any of the animals.


betterj@heraldcorp.com