site.btaProtest against Animal Cruelty Held in Front of Sofia's Military Medical Academy
A protest against cruelty to animals mottoed "Justice for Maya" was held in front of the Military Medical Academy (MMA) in Sofia. Some of the protesters brought their pets along.
The protest was prompted by a November 9 case in the capital where an MMA resident doctor ran over a stray dog with his car. The dog, named Maya by local residents, suffered severe injuries and was later euthanized by a vet. The Sofia District Prosecution Office has opened pre-trial proceedings into the case. The man has been charged under the Penal Code with causing the death of a vertebrate animal. Chief Commissioner Lyubomir Nikolov, head of the Sofia Regional Directorate of Interior, told a briefing on Thursday that the doctor had appeared at the Third District Police Station with his lawyer. A bail of BGN 5,000 had been imposed on the doctor, who is fully cooperating with the investigation, the Chief Commissioner specified. In his words, the evidence gathered so far leads to the conclusion that there was intent on the part of the perpetrator.
The protesters carried posters reading "Their safety is our responsibility," "Effective sentences for animal abuse," "If you hate animals, you lose the right to call yourself human," "There is no excuse for this torture," and "Humanity begins with our attitude toward the weakest." They later marched to the National Palace of Culture. They demanded that the resident doctor be removed from his position at the MMA.
On November 11, the Military Medical Academy announced that the hospital is cooperating in the investigation and that Dr Nenad Tsonevski has been suspended from work until the case is clarified.
Meanwhile, the Together with You patients' organization condemned the doctor's behavior. "According to a video circulating on the Internet, even though he could see that the dog was pinned under his front tire, the doctor got out of the vehicle, looked around, got back in, and ran over the animal a second time with his rear tire. We expect doctors to treat others with humanity and compassion. We hope that the competent authorities will clarify the case and take fair decisions. We do not tolerate displays of aggression and calls for violence, nor do we approve of the denigration of the Military Medical Academy. The hospital is solely responsible for the professional qualities of the medical staff who work there," the position reads.
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