Outrage in Italy as heroic police dog Bruno killed in ‘vile, cowardly' attack

South China Morning Post

a day ago

The horrific killing of a police bloodhound, who helped find nine people throughout his sniffer dog career, has outraged Italians and sparked a criminal investigation to find his killers.
Bruno, a 7-year-old bloodhound, was found dead on Friday morning in his shed in southern Taranto. His trainer, Arcangelo Caressa, said that he had been fed bits of dog food laced with nails. In a
social media post on Tuesday, Caressa urged police to 'find the killers before I do.'
Premier
Giorgia Meloni , who was photographed with Bruno after one of his heroic rescues, said that his slaughter was 'vile, cowardly, unacceptable.' Lawmaker Michael Vittoria Brambilla, a long-time animal rights activist, filed a criminal complaint with prosecutors under a new law that she helped push through stiffening penalties for anyone who kills or mistreats an
animal
Bruno, a seven-year-old bloodhound, had been hailed as a hero for finding nine missing people during his career, and was once honoured by Italy's prime minister. Photo: Handout
The editor of the Il Giornale daily, Vittorio Feltri, voiced outrage, saying Bruno had done more civic good in
Italy than most citizens.
Caressa said that he had told prosecutors that he suspected he was the ultimate target of Bruno's killers, and that Bruno was killed 'to get to me'. He cited his efforts at rescuing dogs that were being used for illegal dogfights, saying that he had already received threats for his work. He said he had given police investigators the names of two people whom he suspected.
The new animal protection law, known as the Brambilla law, went into effect on July 1 and calls for up to four years in prison and a €60,000 (US$70,000) fine, with the stiffest penalties applied if the mistreatment is committed in front of children or is filmed and disseminated online.
Italy mourns Bruno, a heroic police dog killed in a vile attack. Photo: Handout
Feltri said that the penalty should be even greater than four years, saying animals must be respected 'especially when they behave heroically' as Bruno.