A video from Egypt has emerged online that has outraged animal lovers and activists alike. The video, posted on youtube.com, in violation of the website's standards and ethics, shows two young Egyptian boys torturing a small dog and then throwing it off the roof of a building to its death. It is the first such video to emerge from Egypt, a country known for its ill-treatment of animals. Already, a Facebook group has sprung up denouncing the video and animal cruelty in the North African country. Titled Justice for for the Dog who was thrown off the roof, it has garnered over 2,000 followers in less than one week. The activists and concerned citizens are Egyptians and foreigners who have banded together in the cause of justice. “I joined this group because it is the right thing to do and we have to keep pressure on the authorities to make these boys punished for their crimes,” said on follower, who asked not to be named. It has become the calling point for a renewed effort to implement animal rights awareness in a country long void of any inkling of animal equality. One Egyptian posted on the page that this act “brings shame on all of us.” It is not clear where exactly the torture and killing took place, but it is obvious it is from Egypt. Bikya Masr contacted a number of Cairo police stations to ask how to file a claim against those responsible for the video, but were laughed at by officers. “You are joking, right? We don't care about this sort of thing,” one officer said. Animal rights organizations such as the Egyptian Society for Mercy to Animals (ESMA) has called for greater action to combat what appears to be rising violence against animals. They said educating Egyptians is the best way to ensure this sort of cruelty is not repeated, but it is a long uphill battle. Earlier this month, reports of the use of strychnine came from the Red Sea resort town of Dahab, where authorities used the poison in an effort to kill stray animals. At least one resident reported their companion animal died after being exposed to the poison. Images of dogs and cats were shown online. The use of the poison came less than one month after local authorities assured animal rights organizations working in the town that they would not poison animals and would allow for the groups to initiate a spay and neuter campaign. But, like so often when dealing with animals, the government reneged on their promises. The video and the poisoning has left a mark on tourists in the area. A number of foreigners in Egypt have said they will “never come back” and added they would inform their friends and families to avoid Egypt until it treats animals with “respect and dignity.” BM
