Kalkara dog killing: Bail granted pending appeal

A 58-year old man from Vittoriosa who was fined a record €20,000 and jailed for nine months after admitting to having caused the death of his pet was granted bail today pending his appeal. In filing the appeal, Mr Galea said he cannot afford the fine.

Joseph Galea had admitted to having caused the death of a female boxer dog found suffocating in a plastic bag that had been dumped in a skip in Kalkara.

The four-year old dog, later named Gaia, was found alive by a jogger who heard noises coming from the skip. Despite efforts by the staff at San Franġisk Animal Hospital, at Ta' Qali, to revive her, she died the same evening.

Today's was Mr Galea's fourth request for bail. He had been behind bars since October 3. Bail was granted against a personal guarantee of €3,000.

Galea had told the police that he decided to dispose of the dog because it was sick. The man walked for almost an hour from Vittoriosa to Kalkara, where he dumped the dog in a skip.

In 1988 Mr Galea was fined Lm25 after having kicked his dog.