Target: Nikolay Naydenov, Minister of Justice, Sofia, Bulgaria
Goal: Impose the maximum penalty on the man allegedly filmed kicking a tiny Yorkshire terrier again and again.
Mobile phone footage spread across Bulgarian social media. It seemingly shows a 43-year-old man kicking a small Yorkshire terrier again and again in the Krastova Vada borough. Few images stir more anger than a grown man striking a creature that cannot fight back. Each kick, if proven, landed on a body built to be carried, not battered. Public outrage swept the country.
The district prosecution office has formally processed the suspect. He has been identified and held in secure custody. The case remains open while pre-trial proceedings assess the exact extent of the dog’s permanent internal impairment. Bulgarian lawmakers recently fortified the animal cruelty statutes. Under the updated penal code, offenses involving particular cruelty that cause severe injury or death carry heavy mandatory penalties. They can reach up to eight years in prison.
This file is now a major test of the new laws. Weak enforcement would tell abusers that lawmakers were only posturing. A strong prosecution would show that kicking a small, helpless dog carries real consequences. Every Bulgarian who watched the footage deserves to see the law applied. The justice system must pursue the harshest penalty the evidence supports. Sign this petition to demand that outcome.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Minister Naydenov,
We are writing about the Yorkshire terrier in Krastova Vada who was allegedly kicked repeatedly by a 43-year-old man. Mobile phone footage of the incident reached thousands of outraged Bulgarians. The suspect is in custody, but the dog’s internal injuries are still being assessed.
Lawmakers recently strengthened Bulgaria’s animal cruelty laws. Offenses involving particular cruelty that cause severe injury or death can bring up to eight years in prison. This case is a major measure of whether those words mean anything. Citizens across the country are watching how your ministry responds.
We urge you to ensure that prosecutors pursue the fullest penalty available if the evidence supports it. We also urge you to give investigators every resource to document the dog’s injuries completely. A small dog cannot testify. We ask you to speak and act for it. Thank you for your attention to this case.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Sciencia58
