Latest news with #MichaelVittoriaBrambilla
ABC News
5 days ago
- ABC News
Outrage as Italian rescue dog, Bruno, killed with nail-laced dog food
The horrific killing of a police bloodhound, who helped rescue nine people over the course of his sniffer-dog career, has outraged Italians and sparked a criminal investigation to find his killers. Bruno, a seven-year-old, 88-kilogram bloodhound, was found dead on Friday morning, local time, in his shed in southern Taranto. His trainer, Arcangelo Caressa, said he had been fed bits of dog food laced with nails. In an interview on Tuesday, Mr Caressa said he suspected the killing was revenge against him — not Bruno — for his volunteer animal rescue work. "It was deliberately a horrific act to cause the dog intense suffering because feeding him bites filled with nails means tearing apart his insides," he told the Associated Press. "Tearing apart his oesophagus and internal organs and causing excruciating pain." Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was photographed with Bruno after one of his heroic rescues, said that his slaughter was "vile, cowardly, unacceptable". Politician Michael Vittoria Brambilla, a longtime animal rights activist, filed a criminal complaint with prosecutors under a new law that she helped push through stiffening penalties for anyone who killed or mistreated an animal. The editor of the daily newspaper Il Giornale, Vittorio Feltri, voiced outrage, saying Bruno had done more civic good in Italy than most Italian citizens. Mr Caressa said that he had told prosecutors that he suspected that he was the ultimate target of Bruno's killers, and that Bruno was killed "to get to me". Mr Caressa runs a volunteer public animal rescue organisation, ENDAS, that among other things rescues dogs from illegal dogfights. He said the service used to be run by for-profit firms and he suspected that his competitors were behind Bruno's killing. "In recent months, we have received threats, acts of persecution, defamation and slander from certain individuals who have already been investigated in the past and are known to the judicial authorities, who have been trying in every way to take over this rescue service by despicable means," Mr Caressa added. 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-euro ($AU 107, 815) fine, with the stiffest penalties applied if the mistreatment is committed in front of children or is filmed and disseminated online. Mr Feltri said the penalty should be even greater than four years, saying animals must be respected "especially when they behave heroically" as Bruno had. Mr Caressa said Bruno might have appeared clumsy and overweight, but was powerful, strong and dedicated to his job. "He was a giant," Mr Caressa said. "When he went out on a search and you put his harness on, there was no-one else like him. "He would set off, smell the person we were looking for and run like a train until we found them." Officially, his record stands at nine people found: Five people who were alive and four whose bodies were recovered, he said. "But the motto for us rescuers is always the same: Bring the missing person home in any case, because there is always someone among their relatives who is looking for that missing person," he said AP
BreakingNews.ie
5 days ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Italy outraged at killing of heroic police dog ‘given food laced with nails'
The killing of a police bloodhound who helped find nine people over the course of his sniffer-dog rescue career has outraged Italians and sparked a criminal investigation to find his killers. Bruno, a seven-year-old, 88-kilogram (195-pound) bloodhound, was found dead on Friday morning in his shed in southern Taranto. Advertisement His trainer, Arcangelo Caressa, said he had been fed bits of dog food laced with nails. Bits of dog food laced with nails that were fed to a police dog Bruno, killing him, his trainer Arcangelo Caressa said (Arcangelo Caressa/AP) In an interview on Tuesday, Mr Caressa said he suspected the killing was revenge against him — not Bruno — for his volunteer animal rescue work. 'It was deliberately a horrific act to cause the dog intense suffering, because feeding him bites filled with nails means tearing apart his insides, tearing apart his esophagus and internal organs and causing excruciating pain,' Mr Caressa told The Associated Press. Premier Giorgia Meloni, who was photographed with Bruno after one of his heroic rescues, said that his slaughter was 'vile, cowardly, unacceptable'. Advertisement Legislator 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. The editor of the Il Giornale daily, Vittorio Feltri, voiced outrage, saying Bruno had done more civic good in Italy than most Italian citizens. Mr Caressa said that he had told prosecutors that he suspected that he was the ultimate target of Bruno's killers, and that Bruno was killed 'to get to me'. Mr Caressa runs a volunteer public animal rescue organisation, Endas, that among other things rescues dogs from illegal dogfights. Advertisement He said the service used to be run by for-profit firms and said he suspected that his competitors were behind Bruno's killing. 'In recent months, we have received threats, acts of persecution, defamation and slander from certain individuals who have already been investigated in the past and are known to the judicial authorities, who have been trying in every way to take over this rescue service by despicable means,' Mr Caressa told The Associated Press. Dog trainer Arcangelo Caressa holding his seven-year-old bloodhound Bruno (Claudia Aloisio/AP) 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-euro (around £51,000) fine, with the stiffest penalties applied if the mistreatment is committed in front of children or is filmed and disseminated online. Mr Feltri said that the penalty should be even greater than four years, saying animals must be respected 'especially when they behave heroically' as Bruno had. Advertisement Mr Caressa said that Bruno might have appeared clumsy and overweight, but was powerful, strong and dedicated to his job. 'He was a giant,' said Mr Caressa. 'When he went out on a search and you put his harness on, there was no one else like him. 'He would set off, smell the person we were looking for and run like a train until we found them.' Officially, his record stands at nine people found – five people who were alive and four whose bodies were recovered, he said. Advertisement 'But the motto for us rescuers is always the same: Bring the missing person home in any case, because there is always someone among their relatives who is looking for that missing person,' he said.
CTV News
5 days ago
- CTV News
Italy outraged at killing of heroic police bloodhound, found dead after eating food laced with nails
ROME — The horrific killing of a police bloodhound, who helped find nine people over the course of his sniffer-dog rescue career, has outraged Italians and sparked a criminal investigation to find his killers. Bruno, a 7-year-old, 88-kilogram (195-pound) bloodhound, was found dead Friday morning in his shed in southern Taranto. His trainer, Arcangelo Caressa, said he had been fed bits of dog food laced with nails. In an interview Tuesday, Caressa said he suspected the killing was revenge against him — not Bruno — for his volunteer animal rescue work. 'It was deliberately a horrific act to cause the dog intense suffering, because feeding him bites filled with nails means tearing apart his insides, tearing apart his esophagus and internal organs and causing excruciating pain,' Caressa told The Associated Press. 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 longtime 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. The editor of the Il Giornale daily, Vittorio Feltri, voiced outrage, saying Bruno had done more civic good in Italy than most Italian citizens. Caressa said that he had told prosecutors that he suspected that he was the ultimate target of Bruno's killers, and that Bruno was killed 'to get to me.' Caressa runs a volunteer public animal rescue organization, ENDAS, that among other things rescues dogs from illegal dogfights. He said the service used to be run by for-profit firms and said he suspected that his competitors were behind Bruno's killing. 'In recent months, we have received threats, acts of persecution, defamation and slander from certain individuals who have already been investigated in the past and are known to the judicial authorities, who have been trying in every way to take over this rescue service by despicable means,' Caressa told The Associated Press. 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-euro (around a US$70,000) fine, with the stiffest penalties applied if the mistreatment is committed in front of children or is filmed and disseminated online. Feltri said that the penalty should be even greater than four years, saying animals must be respected 'especially when they behave heroically' as Bruno had. Caressa said that Bruno might have appeared clumsy and overweight, but was powerful, strong and dedicated to his job. 'He was a giant,' said Caressa. 'When he went out on a search and you put his harness on, there was no one else like him. He would set off, smell the person we were looking for and run like a train until we found them.' Officially, his record stands at nine people found: Five people who were alive and four whose bodies were recovered, he said. 'But the motto for us rescuers is always the same: Bring the missing person home in any case, because there is always someone among their relatives who is looking for that missing person,' he said. Nicole Winfield And Dario Artale, The Associated Press
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Outrage in Italy as heroic police dog Bruno killed in ‘vile, cowardly' attack
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.
CBS News
5 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Heroic police bloodhound named Bruno killed by food laced with nails, sparking outrage in Italy
The horrific killing of a police bloodhound, who helped find nine people over the course of 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 Friday morning in his shed in southern Taranto. His trainer, Arcangelo Caressa, said he had been fed bits of dog food laced with nails. In a social media post 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 on social media that his slaughter was "vile, cowardly, unacceptable." Lawmaker Michael Vittoria Brambilla, a longtime 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. 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 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 he had already received threats for his work. He said he gave police investigators the names of two people who he suspected. He told local media he received death threats in the weeks leading up to Bruno's death, the BBC reported. "It wasn't a random gesture. They want me to step aside. But I will never give in. This is a vile attack, done for money and revenge," he told the Corriere della Sera newspaper. In a tribute to Bruno posted on Facebook, Caressa wrote: "Maybe you're wagging your tail among the stars, or maybe you're watching us in silence, with those kind eyes that said everything without the need for words." Ciao Bru', è il tuo fratello umano che ti parla. Sono certo che sei ancora al mio fianco, anche se non potrò mai più... Posted by Arcangelo Caressa on Sunday, July 6, 2025 "You weren't just a dog," he added. "You were my faithful shadow, my strength in dark moments, the good heartbeat of the world." 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-euro (around a $70,000) fine, with the stiffest penalties applied if the mistreatment is committed in front of children or is filmed and disseminated online. Feltri said the penalty should be even greater than four years, saying animals must be respected "especially when they behave heroically" as Bruno had. Caressa said that during his career, Bruno found five people alive during rescues and located the bodies of four people who had died, but whose bodies were able to be returned to their loved ones.
