A Study on the Re-establishment of the Legal Status of Dogs and Its Connection with Related Laws Following the Revision of the Livestock Act
「개식용종식법」 제정으로 인해 「축산법」상 개의 법적 지위 재정립이 사회적 쟁점으로 부상하였다. 본 연구는 「축산법」에서 개를 가축에서 제외할 경우 파생될 유관 법령(총 24개)과의 연관성 및 쟁점을 심층 분석하였다. 분석 결과, 「축산법」을 준용하는 법령들은 개정 내용이 자동 반영되지만, 「가축분뇨법」, 「가축전염병예방법」, 「농업식품기본법」 등 개를 별도로 정의하거나 준용 여부가 모호한 법령들은 추가적인 법적 공백이나 충돌을 야기할 수 있음이 확인되었다. 특히 반려견 개 사육업자의 농업인 지위 상실, 가축분뇨 및 가축전염병 관리의 공백, 농지 이용 제한 등의 문제가 제기된다. 따라서 「축산법」 개정은 「축산물위생관리법」, 「동물보호법」, 「개식용종식법」과의 모호성 해소뿐만 아니라, 다양한 유관 법령과의 관계 재정립 이 필요하다. 이는 이해당사자 간의 면밀한 검토와 사회적 합의를 통해 균형 잡힌 법 제도를 마련하는 기초 자료가 될 것이다.
With the enactment of the “Special Act on the Termination of Dog Meat Consumption”, the re-establishment of the legal status of dogs under the “Livestock Act” has emerged as a significant social issue. This study conducted an in-depth analysis of the connections and controversies with related legislation (24 statutes in total) that would arise if dogs were to be excluded from the category of livestock under the “Livestock Act”. The analysis revealed that while amendments to the “Livestock Act” would be automatically reflected in subordinate laws, statutes such as the “Act on the Management and Use of Livestock Excreta”, the “Livestock Epidemics Prevention Act”, and the “Framework Act on Agriculture, Rural Community and Food Industry”, which define dogs separately or have ambiguous clauses regarding their application, could lead to further legal loopholes or conflicts. Specifically, issues such as the loss of farmer status for pet dog breeders, gaps in livestock waste and epidemic management, and restrictions on agricultural land use were identified. Therefore, the revision of the “Livestock Act” not only resolves ambiguities with the “Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act”, the “Animal Protection Act”, and the “Special Act on the Termination of Dog Meat Consumption” but also necessitates the re-establishment of relationships with various other related laws. This study will serve as foundational data for establishing a balanced legal system through thorough review and social consensus among stakeholders.