S.D, 17, arrested for torturing two puppies in the Ain Jerfa, Hasbaya, June 15, 2023. (Credit: ISF website)
BEIRUT — A video was posted on social media networks on Thursday depicting a teenage boy abusing a 10-day-old puppy.
Contacted by L'Orient-Le Jour, the Internal Security Forces (ISF) confirmed that the boy in the video, a minor, tortured the two puppies and was arrested.
The police stated that the arrest took place in Ain Jerfa, near Hasbaya in southern Lebanon, where the events in the video took place.
According to the text, the suspect confessed to torturing two puppies for pleasure. He was handed over to the competent authorities.
Law 47 not applied
Helena Husseini, co-director of the animal protection organization BETA in Lebanon, expressed her deep dismay at the "cruel" acts to L'Orient-Le Jour.
She made it clear that her statements are her own and do not necessarily reflect the position of BETA.
She deplored the shortcomings in the application of Law 47, adopted in 2017 to protect animal rights and preserve them from all acts of violence.
This law, signed by former President of the Republic Michel Aoun, established rules for the possession of domestic animals, as well as regulations for zoos and pet shops, and prohibits the possession of wild or endangered animals.
Husseini pointed to the uneven application of the law, noting that the regions of Kesrouan and Mount Lebanon seem to be the only ones to really take action against animal abuse.
Husseini also criticized the lack of action by the relevant authorities, accusing the police of not doing their job.
She lamented that those guilty of animal abuse are often only sentenced to light penalties, such as a few hours' voluntary work, or psychological therapy "lasting only a few hours."
Faced with these accusations, a source within the ISF said his job was to arrest suspects, not to put them on trial. "The police acted quickly to apprehend the suspect within a few hours. However once detained, it's up to the judge to determine his fate."
Correction: A previous version of this article erroneously stated that Law 47 was adopted in 2019. We have amended this to reflect that the law was in fact adopted in 2017.