In a shocking incident that has left Italy mourning, Bruno, a seven-year-old bloodhound recognized for his heroism in locating nine missing individuals, was killed after he ingested sausages embedded with nails, according to his trainer Arcangelo Caressa. The incident occurred in Bruno's kennel at the Endas search and rescue training center in Taranto, Puglia. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has publicly condemned the act, labeling it "vile, cowardly, and unacceptable," and expressed gratitude to Bruno for his service.
Caressa disclosed that he is aware of the individual(s) responsible for the gruesome act and is determined to see them face justice. Speculation suggests that Bruno may have been targeted due to his involvement in disrupting local dog fighting rings. "Today I died with you," Caressa wrote on social media, recounting the moment he discovered Bruno had died. He described the dog as a brother, lamenting that while Bruno dedicated his life to saving humans, it was a human that brought about his demise.
In response to the tragic event, law enforcement authorities and the prosecutor's office have launched an investigation. Asserting that he had previously received death threats, Caressa stated, "This is a vile attack, done for money and revenge." Italian MP and animal rights advocate Michela Vittoria Brambilla has urged police to swiftly apprehend those responsible, emphasizing that the cruel killing of Bruno warrants justice under a recent law that penalizes animal torture with severe penalties.
Brambilla has advocated for the strict enforcement of this law, citing Bruno's unsettling death due to internal bleeding caused by the nails. "We owe it to this noble animal," she affirmed, calling for appropriate recompense for an innocent life lost under horrific circumstances.
