Warning: Distressing Content
SnapchatWhen you hear the words ‘Cornish coast’, you think sun, sea, surfing, cream teas and seagulls. Unfortunately this week ‘scum bag’ has been added to that list after some scum bag threw a dog off a cliff into the sea.
As a Cornishman, I can attest to the weather not always being nice, the surf not always pumping, and folk not always being the cutesy Doc Martin characters you’d imagine. Now we’ve got the kind of people that would throw helpless pups off cliffs into the sea.
Footage circulated social media this week of an absolute tool holding a dog, believed to be a spaniel who squirmed in terror, on a cliff edge and then throwing it into the sea to while his idiot mate laughs.
Police confirmed they were looking into the incident after the video spread online, with comedian and animal lover Ricky Gervais stepping in to help spread the word.
A police spokesperson said, as per Cornwall Live:
Police are investigating a report of concern for the welfare of an animal in Falmouth on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 1.
This relates to a dog being thrown into the sea. The dog has been checked over and is uninjured. The investigation is ongoing and enquiries are continuing.
SnapchatGervais tweeted:
We seriously need to help police find this evil little c*nt.
Falmouth Police also took to social media to ask people to let them carry out their investigation ‘without intrusion or inappropriate comments’ – after people took to social media to slam the suspect.
We are aware of an #incident of #animalcruelty which has been reported in #Falmouth This matter is being #investigated but please appreciate that we need to do this effectively without intrusion or inappropriate comments @piratefm @HeartCornNews @ThePacket @CornwallLive 603
— Falmouth Police (@FalmouthPolice) May 1, 2019
Falmouth Police tweeted:
We are aware of an #incident of #animalcruelty which has been reported in #Falmouth This matter is being #investigated but please appreciate that we need to do this effectively without intrusion or inappropriate comments
Later on Friday, police tweeted an update to confirm they had identified those involved in the incident.
We are currently working with the local @RSPCA_official in this case and have identified those involved. Thank you 603
— Falmouth Police (@FalmouthPolice) May 3, 2019
People on Twitter expressed their outrage at the incident and the expected leniency of any punishment dealt to the perpetrators.
One person tweeted:
The problem is that even if you catch the people responsible nothing will be done. The laws are way too lenient on animal abusers, and will get away with this time and again!
The problem is that even if you catch the people responsible nothing will be done. The laws are way too lenient on animal abusers, and will get away with this time and again!
— Sharon Reilly (@sharonslaymaker) May 2, 2019
Another wrote:
Well do your job well and seek the maximum punishment for the offender. People are tired and frustrated with not seeing any action following these incidents and as such, are liable to take things into their own hands. The dog needs taking off him!
Well do your job well and seek the maximum punishment for the offender. People are tired and frustrated with not seeing any action following these incidents and as such, are liable to take things into their own hands. The dog needs taking off him!
— It’s Me! (@democraticg3) May 3, 2019
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Tim Horner is a sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated with a BA Journalism from University College Falmouth before most his colleagues were born. A previous editor of adult mags, he now enjoys bringing the tone down in the viral news sector.