Hero Police Dog Killed with Nail-Laced Sausages: Trainer Vows Justice
Bruno, a celebrated Italian police dog who rescued nine lives during his career, was killed in a targeted attack involving sausages filled with nails. His heartbroken handler is calling it an act of cowardice — and swearing that justice will be done.
A Devastating Loss for Italy's K-9 Forces
Bruno, a 7-year-old bloodhound who served in Italy’s elite Dog Rescue Unit, was found dead on Friday in his kennel in Taranto, southern Italy. His trainer, Arcangelo Caressa, discovered him lying in a pool of blood, the victim of a gruesome and premeditated act: someone had broken in and fed the dog sausages laced with nails.
Known nationwide for his heroism, Bruno played a crucial role in saving nine people over his career. He had worked on high-risk missions, including anti-gang operations and rescue deployments.
“This wasn’t just a dog,” Caressa wrote online. “He was my shadow, my strength, the good heartbeat of the world.”
“You Will Pay”: A Trainer’s Oath for Justice
In a series of emotional social media posts, Caressa didn’t hold back. “I KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND YOU WILL PAY FOR IT,” he declared to Bruno’s killers. “You made him suffer for hours. You killed him in cold blood.”
Caressa refused to share the disturbing images of the aftermath, describing them as too gruesome for the public. “You would be shocked,” he wrote. “It felt like I died with him.”
Italian authorities have launched a nationwide manhunt, and Caressa has already handed two suspect names to prosecutors. He believes the murder was deliberate — likely in retaliation for Bruno’s role in helping dismantle illegal dog-fighting rings.
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National Mourning and Outrage
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni publicly mourned Bruno’s death, posting a tribute alongside a photo taken after one of Bruno’s rescue missions.
“A heartbreaking piece of news,” she wrote. “A vile, cowardly, unacceptable act.”
The crime has also prompted a criminal complaint under Italy’s strengthened animal protection laws, filed by prominent lawmaker and animal rights activist Michela Vittoria Brambilla. The legislation, which she helped craft, imposes tougher penalties on those who harm animals.
A Hero Remembered
Though devastated, Caressa remains resolute. “They want me to step aside. But I will never give in,” he said in an interview with Corriere della Sera. “This is a vile attack, done for money and revenge.”
He also revealed receiving death threats in the weeks before the killing. But his determination hasn’t wavered.
“I hope you’re wagging your tail among the stars,” he wrote in a farewell post to Bruno. “Maybe you’re watching us in silence, with those kind eyes that said everything without words.”
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