In a tragic incident that has stirred public outcry, two Staffordshire bull terriers named Marshall and Millions were fatally shot by Metropolitan Police officers in London.
According to a report from Doncaster Free Press, the dogs were allegedly involved in an attack on a woman, prompting the police response.
The owner of the dogs, Louie Turnbull, a 46-year-old homeless man, has been charged with being the owner of dangerously out-of-control dogs and has appeared in court.
The controversial killing of Marshall and Millions has ignited protests and vigils across the country, with demonstrators demanding justice for the slain canines and calling for the police officers involved to be held accountable.
Photo from Change.org/ MANILA BULLETIN
In a Daily Mail report, about 200 members of Animal Rising, a group notorious for their disruption of the Grand National last month, attended a protest outside the force's headquarters, bringing their own dogs and lighting vegan candles. Many were also visibly emotional and shedding tears as they chanted slogans such as “rapists and murderers” at the officers and “No justice, no peace, they're killing dogs on our streets.”
Turnbull also recounted the moment when the police unleashed a barrage of weapons, leaving him and the dogs terrified.
"They pulled out all their weapons. They were intimidating me and the dogs. And all they were doing was trying to protect me. I had them on the lead, I was pulling them away, and they just murdered them," he said.
Meanwhile, the husband of a woman whose pet was attacked by the same dogs before their fatal encounter with the police said that his wife has been inconsolable since the incident, describing her as "mortified" and continuously in tears.
The woman allegedly pleaded with bystanders not to involve the police, fearing the dire consequences that awaited the dogs.
"'My wife was traumatized by what happened to the dogs - we both were," the husband told the Daily Mail, emphasizing that his wife cherished the lives of animals and did not wish for the dogs to be killed.
"For us, a dog's life matters as much as a human's," he added.