A sunny day at the dog beach of Agua Amarga, in Alicante, Spain, turned into a nightmare after witnesses saw a woman repeatedly submerging her dog under the water.
The dog later died, and the woman has now been arrested for animal cruelty.
Shocking incident
This is the second case of a dog drowning in the Spain this year.
The latest tragedy has been reported by Pacma, who condemned the owner's shocking behaviour.
Witnesses"confronted her and she pulled the dying animal out of the water on a lead", they explained in their statement.
The dog, which is thought to have been a Pitbull Terrier or an American Bully cross, was unconscious and was rushed to a veterinary clinic, where it died due to the amount of water it had ingested.
The local police, who attended the scene, have launched an investigation into animal cruelty. Two formal complaints have been added to the investigation, one from a witness to the events and another filed by the Asoka el Grande rescue organisation, which also expressed its outrage and commitment to the case.
PACMA has also demanded urgent reform of the Penal Code. "Drowning a dog to death and not going to prison. This is the impunity of animal abusers", the party shared on social media, insisting that current legislation does not protect animals nor act as a deterrent against violence.
Animal cruelty
The animal cruelty offence is defined under the Spanish penal code, which punishes "a series of behaviours that cause injury to an animal, cause its death, abandon it in certain circumstances or seriously mistreat it".
In this case, causing the dog's death aggravates the animal cruelty offence.
Dog lovers around the world were left heartbroken after learning of the incident, with many calling for justice for this dog and firmly condemning any form of violence against animals.
