Overview
- The Lima Norte prosecutor’s office launched a preliminary case against Óscar Balarezo Ávalos for alleged abandonment and animal cruelty after a viral video showed an attempted asphyxiation in Independencia.
- Prosecutor Ronald Eduardo Caballero Benites ordered urgent steps including statements from the suspect and witnesses, retrieval of CCTV and neighborhood videos, and the dog’s clinical history.
- Authorities are working to identify the veterinarian who performed the euthanasia and to exhume ‘Susu’ for forensic examinations to establish potential criminal liability.
- A police report indicates the dog did not die in the park and was later euthanized at a clinic in Los Olivos, while the suspect has claimed the pet was terminally ill.
- Animal-rights groups staged a demonstration at the suspect’s residence that turned confrontational, leading to one arrest, and the National Animal Protection Council says it will represent the case seeking a strong sentence it estimates could reach 4–5 years.