A woman in Bali has been charged with animal abuse after a clip showing her dragging a dog as she drove her motorbike on the road went viral.
The clip, which was uploaded to Instagram on May 9, shows the woman pulling a small dog by its leash as she drove her motorbike. The dog is clearly struggling to keep up with the vehicle, its paws bleeding as they scrape the ground.
South Denpasar Police Chief Ida Ayu Made Kalpika Sari was quoted by Detik as saying that a woman in Denpasar, known only by her initials as EL (44), has become a suspect for animal abuse.
“Initially the plan was [for the case] to be mediated,” she said.
However, according to Ida Ayu, EL refused to admit to any wrongdoing. The incident has sparked outrage among animal rights advocates, who eventually filed charges against EL.
The authorities are currently waiting for the results of a medical examination to assess the extent of the injuries sustained by the dog, named Emon.
In a surprising twist, police revealed that Emon does not even to EL, but was entrusted to her care while the owner was away in Kalimantan.
Ida Ayu explained that EL intended to train the dog to ride with her on her motorbike. However, when she was driving from Denpasar to Sanur on May 12, Emon refused to stay still and was eager to hop off from the motorbike.
This ended with EL dragging the poor dog on the road.
Under Indonesian law, EL may face up to three months behind bars if proven guilty of animal abuse.
The dog’s welfare has become a matter of concern, as its hind legs were reportedly injured during the incident. Animal rights activists are calling for justice and accountability.
This unfortunate event follows a previous dog-related tragedy that occurred in Bali, highlighting the need for stricter measures to protect animals. EL remains under investigation at the South Denpasar Police Criminal Investigation Unit.
