First court sentence for instigating animal cruelty

For the first time in Greece, a man has been sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment suspended for three years and to a fine of 5,000 euros for instigating animal cruelty to his dog. The man, as the press reported, had ordered an employee of his to tie the dog to the back of his car and drag it along Souliou Avenue in Marathonas, North of Athens. Passers-by saw the incident and blocked the car before calling the authorities. The dog bore severe wounds on its paws and one on the chest and is now recovering in a vet clinic. The case marks the first time that a Greek court has found someone guilty of instigating animal cruelty.