Public outrage sweeps Brazil after killing of beloved street dog
Florianópolis street dog Orelha was tortured in a case that is shaking the nation.
Credit: Facebook
Thousands of people descended onto the streets of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during the first weekend of February to demand justice for Orelha, a ten-year-old street dog in Florianópolis who was brutally tortured and subsequently died of his injuries.
On the weekend of 4th January, Orelha was beaten so badly that when he was found the following day, the only humane option was euthanasia.
The culprits are believed to be four teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17, who are currently under investigation.
Believed to be around ten years old, Orelha (whose name means “ear”) was a long-time stray beloved by his local community. Those accused are also believed to have attempted to drown another stray dog, Caramelo, who managed to escape.
Authorities in the Santa Caterina area say that witnesses are being questioned and other evidence is being gathered in an ongoing investigation.
Police have also confirmed that aside from the four teenagers, adults, some of whom are believed to be relatives of the accused, are also under investigation for obstruction of justice. CNN Brazil reports that the adults are accused of “using violence or serious threats” to protect the adolescents' interests.
The case has attracted international attention, with the hashtag #JustiçaPorOrelha (“justice for Orelha) trending as supporters from around the globe call for justice to be served.
Politicians on both sides of the political divide have spoken out in support of the protests. The First Lady of Brazil, Janja Luis da Silva, wrote on her Instagram profile: “I never understood what goes on in the head and heart of anyone who has the courage to mistreat another living being. Especially a defenceless being, like a dog.”
Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair, also expressed his support for “the people of Santa Catarina who took care of the street dog known as Orelha. What was done to him is unparalleled cruelty. Nothing can justify a gesture like that.”
Pediatrician Daniel Becker, columnist for the newspaper O Globo, said: "Extreme violence does not arise from nothing. Boys learn by observing, and the first mirror is the family. Parents who express racism, xenophobia and contempt for the poorest, teach violence and intolerance. Permissive parents, who do not impose limits and responsibility, who relativize deviations, who confuse protection with cover-up, who use money, influence or intimidation to ensure impunity - as seems to have happened in this case - teach privilege, the absence of empathy, show that the law does not apply to everyone. This creates little monsters."
Cruelty to animals should always be seen as a warning, as it can often indicate that other forms of violence, including that against humans, could be forthcoming. The link between animal abuse and acts such as murder is well-documented, with virtually every known serial killer, from Jeffrey Dahmer to David Berkowitz, having a history of cruelty to animals as children or adolescents.
In Brazil, mixed-breed dogs are often seen as cultural symbols, representing the blended nature of Brazilian people, whose heritage is a mix of African, Indigenous, and European. Public decry of Orelha's case shows just how strong the opposition to cruelty is in the country, and the hope of thousands is that Orelha will be the last.
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