Translated to my best ability from the news
The Personera Municipal of Boquete, Lisi Cubilla advances the investigations against a 35-year-old North American citizen, that shot a Maltese dog and a cocker spaniel; emitted a ticket that orders the foreigner to come to the office in order that he will present the charges of the accusations that are provided him by the owner of the animals.
The Personera mentioned several persons for the next week as witnesses of the facts that occurred in the neighborhood of Saint Lucia, corregimiento of Volcancito in the district of Boquete, in Chiriquí's province.
The Maltese dog was shot in the neck and the cocker in the area of the ribs with a rifle that was allegedly used by the North American to shoot him from the street to the property of Raúl Humberto Pittí.
Nevertheless, groups in favor of the protection of the animals issued a communiqué in rejection of the mistreatment that was an object both dogs on the part of the foreigner and announced that next week a peaceful protest will be held in Boquete to reject these type of violent actions against the animals.
By the same note, a flier will be passed in the tourist district of Boquete to announce the foreigners who reside in this place that any more aggressions against the animals will not be tolerated. Raúl Humberto Pittí, assures that his dogs are recovering from the wounds and that he is receiving very much support on the part of the community that rejects this type of violent actions against the animals.
He affirmed that already he ratified the denunciation against the North American and he hopes that the authorities would sanction it like the Panamanian laws establish.
See Photos.
Replies
To my mind, there are two distinct and separate incidents here.
The issue of the dogs running loose and allegedly biting the youngster is a matter that the father of the child is dealing with.
The second issue arises from the allegation that two dogs were shot with a pellet rifle by a North American on the Panamanian couple's private property who they belong to.
Many Panamanian and expat residents are upset because they believe that one incident didn't justify the other and that there has been a clear case of animal abuse.
I would add that the pet owners have acknowledged the support of the extranjero community and are stressing to others that the actions taken against their pets were by one person only.
I used the terms 'allegedly' and 'allegation' to be fair to both parties. In actuality under the law here, a party charged with an offense is guilty until proven innocent.
Keith is correct. It is too easy to get sidetracked by issues of expat vs. Panamianian etc. Keith before, made an excellent observation about injuries above the hip being too high for a cocker to reach while on a skateboard, unless the boy fell off. It leaves wondering what injuries were bites and what is road rash. This is a sad incident undoubtedly with an unhappy outcome for all parties involved.
In the world I come from,, taking a pellet gun and shooting two small dogs inside a fenced yard is certainly not an appropriate response for a rational person, and I am very concerned with the lesson learned by an impressionable young boy who views his father as a role model.
I am outraged that dad rather, than express regret for his behavior, would demand the community drop this issue and move on. It suggests there is no regret or shame. Rather than pontificate about ancillary issues, just ask yourself; would you want a man who behaves in this manner as your neighbor.
Renauld, It has been hard to follow the events here to have a clear understanding. as I understand it, the dogs escaped from their fenced area and bit/injured a child who had been riding a skateboard with other children. A neighborhood person/(whitness to the event) went to the home of the offending dogs and shot them through the gate of the residence. The dogs were injured but with medical care will probably survive. The parents of the child took him for appropriate medical treatment. and have said that they were persuing appropriate actions . They asked for people to stop dwelling on the incident while the authorities looked at it. The parents of the injured dogs have received much community support. People are now making this into the larger issue of animal abuse. The dad who requested who reguested the community drop the matter is the parent of the injured child, not the shooter. The shooter has had no comment that I know of
I have an uncomfortable feeling about this. a Panamanian child is injured, and we make it all about the North American's dogs. Agreed that cruelty to animals is revolting. This whole situation is a mess. However, the owners of the dogs have commenced legal action. the Parent of the child has asked on this site just chill, because he is taking action that he feels is appropriate. Just getting out there and making noise will probably not help the situation. (IMO). I have seen people on this site being concerned that condemning the actions of a crazy North American will help to distance us from the blame and blaming for his actions. It also sends the message that a North American's dogs are more important than a Panamanian child. remember that the beginning of this whole mess is that unleashed dogs were running the neighborhood and were not trained properly to not bite/jump on people.
The dogs belong to a Panamanian Family and I believe that the child is from an American (Extranjero) Family.... so you have it the wrong way round
Samantha, the parent's posting seemed to be from someone who does not have English as a first language. That is why I assumed that he was Panamanian. It could just be then that he was upset or hurried when he posted.
The child was not that child of the man that shot the dogs, it was a friend of his son. That child was never identified as being North American or Panamanian. This is what happens, things get all screwed around. It's time we all take a deep breath here and leave this issue to the authorities.
The dogs belonged to a Panamanian family, and I believe it was a northamerican child who was injured. I am uncomfortable, however, with the language that the protest will be against "foreigners" who abuse animals. Why not against everyone who abuses animals? (Or was something lost in translation?)
That really disturbed me too. Why are foreigners being singled out when it was one particular foreigner who abused the dogs? Most of the abused dogs that are rescued here have not been abused by foreigners.