The Lagos state chapter of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association has condemned in strong terms, the shooting in cold blood of Roxie, a pet dog in one of the estates in the Ajah area of the state.
A Nigerian dog rights activist Jackie Idimogu, who runs a dog charity called My Dog & I Group, “Roxie was a beautiful well-bred pet dog.”
She “happened to stray out of her home in the middle of the night”, Ms Idimogu added, after which her owner alerted the estate security.
The cruel incident is reported to have happened on March 21, 2023, after the pet dog strayed from its home in the estate despite having been notified of the missing dog, the Estate security resorted to shooting the dog three times even though the owner had gotten to the scene where the dog was found. The culprit has been arrested.
Residents are upset over Roxie’s death and are seeking justice on its behalf. The estate management is yet to respond to inquiries, however, according to the dog owner, the estate’s rules said that a dog can be killed if it is dangerous or had attacked someone, but Ms Idimogu said Roxie was not in any way violent or aggressive.