A group of Republic of China Marines has been filmed torturing and killing a dog in an incident that has sparked national outrage. A viral video shows the men beating the animal and hanging it with chains. The dog’s body is believed to have been thrown into the sea.
The incident took place in Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan. A local animal rights group said the killing took place last Friday and was reported to the association by an informant.
Speaking at the Legislature on Tuesday, Premier Lin Chuan weighed in on the incident, which has dominated local news coverage in the past few days.
Lin said, "For the military, this incident has exposed many serious problems. On one hand there is the issue of caring for animals and respect for life. On the other it has laid bare problems with discipline in the armed forces."
The Navy, of which the Marine Corps is a branch, has said it will not protect the servicemen who took part in the killing. It said they will be subject to disciplinary punishment and also face civilian charges for violating the Animal Protection Act.