Lucca, the local hunters' mascot dog kicked to death: investigation underway

A case of violence against animals is shaking the community of Piana di Lucca, between Altopascio and Porcari. Toby, a 5-year-old beagle who became the mascot of the local hunters, was brutally kicked to death last Sunday in the Padule woods. The owners, Mario Micheli and his wife Claudia Petri Micheli, filed a complaint with the police and are now looking for witnesses among the hunters who frequent the area to find out who might be responsible.

The case, reported by the newspaper The Tyrrhenian Sea, has been making the rounds on the web, sparking outrage among animal lovers. Toby, as his owners say, was a docile dog, known for his friendship with hunters in the area. “He was the only dog ​​we allowed to roam freely outside. He chased game, especially rabbits and hares, but he never bothered anyone,” explains the owner Claudia.

According to initial reconstructions, Toby may have chased a hare and, in doing so, ran into unscrupulous hunters who fatally shot him. The little beagle suffered serious internal injuries to his intestines and kidneys, and despite veterinary care, he died after two days of excruciating suffering. “Only a heartless person could do such a thing to a happy little dog like Toby,” said Mario Micheli, a well-known footwear entrepreneur and former president of a local amateur football team.

The owners' appeal is addressed to anyone who may have seen something that morning, in the hope that those responsible will be identified. In the meantime, the case has reignited the debate on animal protection and gratuitous violence against them, especially in rural areas frequented by hunters.