The man who on Sunday kicked and caused the death of the dog Knopa in Sofia’s Krastova Vada district turned himself in to the police and has been charged. Yordan Atanasov had been wanted, and following his detention he was taken to the Fourth District Police Department.
Pre-trial proceedings have been initiated in the case for cruelty to a vertebrate animal resulting in unlawful death. The law provides for between 2 and 8 years of imprisonment for this crime. The charge does not mean that guilt has been established, which can only be признated by a final court judgment.
Investigation Continues
According to the prosecution service, witnesses have already been questioned, identifications have been carried out and a video-technical examination has been prepared. The violence was recorded by security cameras. According to information cited in the report, before Knopa’s death, the man had kicked other small dogs as well. The stated reason was the claim that the animals were destroying the trees in front of the apartment building where he is the building manager.
Knopa had lived with her family for 9 years. Her owner, Snezhana Kishchuk, said: “Knopa was with us for 9 years, she grew up with my eldest daughter and to me she is like a little child.”
Protests against Violence towards Animals
The case sparked protests in Sofia. Hundreds of citizens gathered, demanding justice, while animal rights defender Yavor Gechev reported more than 200 participants in the spontaneous demonstration. The KAZHI association called for every report of violence to be investigated and for adequate punishments to be imposed.
“Acts of aggression of any kind are absolutely intolerable and must be eradicated from society by every possible means,” Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said.By order of the supervising prosecutor, the accused has been detained for up to 72 hours. The Sofia District Prosecutor’s Office is expected to submit a request to the court for the imposition of the measure “detention in custody.” The investigation into the case continues.
Sources: bntnews.bg