A Doberman puppy was discovered buried underneath six 20-kilo rocks and left to die in lava fields near Vogar, southwest Iceland, on Saturday. The puppy was taken to the Animal Hospital in Vídidalur, Reykjavík, where it is recovering.
The owner of the puppy contacted Sudurnes police yesterday explaining that he had recently come in ownership of the four-month Doberman bitch before it ran away. It appears as if those who found the dog decided to bury it alive in the lava fields instead of giving it back to the owner, Morgunbladid reports.
“I have never heard of someone taking animals and burying them under a heavy load before and I’ve been [a veterinarian] for 30 years,” said Helgi Sigurdsson, veterinarian at the Animal Hospital in Vídidalur, who is caring for the puppy. “I’ve never heard anyone talk about cases like this before either. This is extremely brutal.”
Sigurdsson said the puppy is recovering swiftly, although its mobility is still reduced. It is, however, much perkier than on Saturday. “It did not look good at all,” Sigurdsson said, adding that the next few days will show whether the puppy will recover fully.
Violation of animal protection rights can result in fines or imprisonment of up to one year. If the violation is considered exceptionally brutal the imprisonment can be prolonged to two years.
