Hero sniffer dog killed by sausages filled with nails

Italy's Prime Minister deemed the killing a 'vile, cowardly' act.

According to the sniffer dog's trainer, the sausages were deliberately thrown into Bruno's kennel in the southern city of Taranto.

The bloodhound died from internal bleeding after consuming the food.

Arcangelo Caressa, the dog's trainer, said the dog would have suffered a painful death and warned the culprit: "I know who you are, and you will pay for it."

He wrote on Facebook that Bruno would "always be my hero".

"You fought for your whole life to help the human being, and the same human did this to you," Caressa continued, per Sky News.

During his career, Bruno had tracked down nine people. This included missing children and people with Alzheimer's, as reported by Italian media.

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took to Twitter to share a photo of herself giving the dog an award, writing: "A heartbreaking piece of news. A vile, cowardly, unacceptable act.

"Thank you for all you have done, Bruno."

Una notizia che stringe il cuore. Un atto vile, codardo, inaccettabile.

Grazie per tutto ciò che hai fatto, Bruno. pic.twitter.com/e5eSpPzQJ4

— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) July 5, 2025

Arcangelo Caressa has long been a senior figure in the training of anti-drug dogs. He's also been very vocal about his fight against illegal dog fighting.

He told Il Messaggero that his beloved pet "wasn't the real target, it was me".

He explained that he had received several death threats in recent weeks.

"They want me to step aside. But I will never give in. This is a vile attack, done for money and revenge," he continued.

Since Bruno's death on Friday, many are calling for the culprit to be prosecuted under the new animal law that recently took effect in Italy.

The new law set in place carries a prison sentence for up to four years and a £51,000 fine when it is believed an animal is killed after suffering or at the hands of cruelty.