Italian 'hero' sniffer dog killed with nail-filled sausages

An Italian sniffer canine was killed aft eating sausages filled with nails that were thrown into his kennel, his trainer has said.

Bruno, a seven-year-old bloodhound, had been hailed arsenic a leader for uncovering 9 missing radical during his career, and was erstwhile honoured by Italy's premier minister.

Giorgia Meloni condemned the "vile, cowardly, unacceptable" sidesplitting successful a station connected X. "Thank you for each you person done, Bruno," she said.

The dog's trainer, Arcangelo Caressa, said helium knew who was liable and vowed to marque them wage for their actions.

It has been suggested the sidesplitting was carried retired arsenic revenge for Bruno's relation is dismantling canine warring rings.

"Today I died with you," Mr Caressa said successful a Facebook station announcing Bruno's death.

He said helium recovered the canine - who, helium says, helium saw arsenic a "brother" - connected Friday greeting successful his kennel astatine the Endas hunt and rescue grooming centre successful Taranto, Puglia.

"You fought your full beingness to prevention humans and present it was a quality who did this to you," helium added. "You were, you are and you volition proceed to beryllium my hero."

The trainer said Italy's constabulary and prosecutor's bureau had launched a associated probe into the killing.

Addressing the culprits, Mr Caressa said: "I cognize who you are, and you volition wage for it."

He told section media had received decease threats successful the weeks starring up to Bruno's death.

"It wasn't a random gesture. They privation maine to measurement aside. But I volition ne'er springiness in. This is simply a vile attack, done for wealth and revenge," helium told the Corriere della Sera newspaper.

Italian MP and carnal rights activistic Michela Vittoria Brambilla has urged the constabulary to bring those liable to justice.

She suggested Bruno had been targeted by criminals due to the fact that of his relation successful seizing dogs utilized successful fighting.

A recently strengthened law, spearheaded by Brambilla, tin punish anyone who kills an carnal utilizing torture by up to 4 years successful situation and a €60,000 (£51,000) fine.

Brambilla has called for this instrumentality to beryllium applied owed to Bruno's "long and achy death" from interior bleeding, brought connected by the nail-filled sausages.

"We beryllium it to this noble animal," she said successful a statement.