'Hero' sniffer dog Bruno killed by sausages stuffed with nails
Bruno died from internal bleeding after the food was deliberately thrown into his kennel in the southern city of Tarananto, according to his trainer.
Arcangelo Caressa said the bloodhound would have had a painful death - and warned the culprit: "I know who you are, and you will pay for it."
Writing on Facebook, he said his Bruno would "always be my hero".
"You fought for your whole life to help the human being, and the same human did this to you," Mr Caressa added.
Bruno had tracked down nine people, including missing children and people with Alzheimer's, Italian media reported.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni posted a picture of herself giving the dog an award, writing: "A heartbreaking piece of news. A vile, cowardly, unacceptable act.
"Thank you for all you have done, Bruno."
Mr Caressa is a senior figure in the training of anti-drug dogs, as well as fighting against activities like illegal dog fighting.
He told Il Messaggero his beloved pet "wasn't the real target, it was me".
He told the paper he had received death threats in recent weeks.
"They want me to step aside. But I will never give in. This is a vile attack, done for money and revenge," he said.
Bruno's death has provoked anger and widespread news coverage in Italy since he was found dead on Friday.
Many are calling for the poisoner to be prosecuted under a new animal protection law that recently took effect in Italy.
It carries a prison sentence of up to four years and a £51,000 fine in cases where an animal is killed after prolonged suffering or cruelty.
Bruno was originally from Belgium and had worked with Mr Caressa for seven years.
A bloodhound's sense of smell is estimated to be at least 1,000 times stronger than a human's, giving them the ability to sniff out a scent over 300 hours old.
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