Hero Dog’s Brutal Killing Sparks Outrage in Italy

Investigation launched after rescue bloodhound dies from consuming nail-laced food.

The death of a police bloodhound in southern **Taranto**, **Italy**, has ignited a firestorm of anger. The dog, named **Bruno**, was allegedly deliberately fed food laced with nails, prompting a criminal investigation.

Details of the Crime

**Bruno**, a seven-year-old bloodhound weighing 88 kilograms, was found dead in his shed on Friday morning. **Arcangelo Caressa**, his trainer, revealed the dog had ingested food laced with nails. **Caressa** suspects the act was retaliation against his 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.

Political Condemnation and Legal Action

**Premier Giorgia Meloni**, who had previously been photographed with **Bruno**, described the killing as “vile, cowardly, unacceptable.” **Michael Vittoria Brambilla**, a lawmaker and animal rights advocate, has filed a criminal complaint under a recently enacted law that imposes stricter penalties for animal cruelty.

The Brambilla law, which took effect July 1, stipulates prison sentences of up to four years and fines reaching 60,000 euros (approximately $70,000 USD). Penalties are most severe if the mistreatment happens in front of children or is recorded and shared online.

Suspicions of Rivalry Motive

**Caressa**, who operates the volunteer animal rescue organization ENDAS, suspects the motive relates to competition within the animal rescue industry. ENDAS has been threatened in recent months, since it rescues dogs from illegal dogfights, and such services used to be for-profit, **Caressa** claims.

“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** stated.

Impact and Legacy

The editor of *Il Giornale*, **Vittorio Feltri**, expressed strong condemnation, suggesting **Bruno** contributed more to society than many citizens. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, animal cruelty is increasingly being linked to other forms of violence, suggesting a need for stricter laws and enforcement (AVMA 2023).

Despite his appearance, **Caressa** described **Bruno** as a dedicated and powerful search dog: “He was a giant. 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.”

Throughout his career, **Bruno** successfully located nine people, five alive and four deceased. **Caressa** added, “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,”