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Dog burned to death: Owner, alleged attacker report each other to police
The suspect planned to report the dog's owner, saying he had been injured by scratches and bites from the dog.
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The crime scene where a dog was burnt alive reportedly by a neighbor in Menteng, Central Jakarta on May 14. (kompas.com/Ryana Aryadita)
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fter a dog named Lucky was found critically injured and later died of allegedly being burned alive by a neighbor in Menteng, Central Jakarta, both the owner and the suspect are in a legal battle as both have reported their versions of the incident to the police.
Sarana Metta Indonesia Foundation representative Christian Joshua Pale said Lucky’s owner Melly and the foundation had reported the case to the police after they collected enough evidence and eyewitnesses of the burning incident, after the dog reportedly clawed the neighbor named Maulady, who had urinated near Lucky’s cage.
“It’s true that we have collected several pieces of evidence. That was a suggestion from the Menteng Police which asked us to file a report and to collect evidence and eyewitnesses to strengthen our case,” Christian said on Wednesday, kompas.com reported. Christian immediately attempted to save the mixed dalmatian before it died due to severe injuries on Friday.
Menteng Police criminal investigation unit head Comr. Gozali Luhulima said the police would soon follow up the case.
However, the suspect, who is a ride-hailing ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver, planned to report Melly, saying that he had been injured by scratches and bites from the dog, Gozali said.
“We will summon the suspect [for questioning] but the suspect who burned the dog also wanted to file a report because [he claimed] his legs were bitten by the dog,” the police said.
Gozali said the suspect would file a report after a medical examination as proof of the bite.
“After the plaintiff filed a report yesterday, the suspect had already undergone a medical examination at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital,” he said.
Meanwhile, Go-Jek corporate affairs vice president Michael Reza Say said the company would investigate which one of their drivers had burned the dog alive.
He said that Go-jek had received a report from the dog’s owner on Sunday.
“Regarding the information on social media that the suspect was a Go-Jek driver, we can say we are currently processing the incoming reports. We are continuing to investigate this further internally,” Michael said on Monday.
He said the company regretted the incident and opposed any kind of animal cruelty.
He added that Go-Jek would reprimand the suspect if proven guilty after their internal investigation.
“Violence like this cannot be justified and we are not afraid to reprimand the driver who turned out to be the suspect,” Michael said.
The suspect allegedly hit the dog with a glass bottle full of gasoline and then set it on fire last Friday evening.
“Last Friday afternoon, Lucky was just sitting in his cage when suddenly a neighbor urinated directly next to him. Lucky instinctively responded by scratching him,” Christian said on Monday.
He said the neighbor became mad at the dog and demanded that the owner move it elsewhere while threatening to burn the dog.
However, as the owner Melly was at a mosque for tarawih prayer that evening, Lucky was never moved.
“When the owner arrived home, she was shocked to find that Lucky had sustained injuries in the form of critical burns,” Christian said. (ami)
