72-Year-Old Remanded in Custody
Retiree from Petrinja Suspected of Animal Cruelty; Search of Home Reveals a Small Arsenal of Explosive Devices
Retiree from Petrinja Suspected of Animal Cruelty; Search of Home Reveals a Small Arsenal of Explosive Devices
The Sisak Municipal State Attorney's Office questioned a 72-year-old man from the Petrinja area and ordered him into custody on suspicion of killing and torturing an animal and illegally possessing weapons and explosives. According to the statement from the DORH, the man confined a wild fox in a cage and then set his own dog on it, urging the dog on until it killed the fox.
He recorded the entire incident and posted it on his profile on a social network, which drew the attention of the police and led to the initiation of an investigation. The duty investigating judge of the Sisak County Court accepted the prosecution's proposal and ordered a one-month remand due to the risk of reoffending.
According to the results of the investigation so far, in July 2026, in the Petrinja area, the suspect placed a wild animal in an animal enclosure from which it could not escape. He then released his dog into the same enclosure and repeatedly urged it to attack the fox.
One of his two dogs inflicted bite wounds on the animal, from which it died. The man documented everything with a camera and shared the footage online. It was this post that became the key piece of evidence in the case.
In addition to the cruel treatment of the animal, the suspect is also charged with the unauthorized possession of explosive devices. During a search of the property last Thursday, police found and seized five hand grenades, one anti-personnel mine, four mine fuses, three detonators, one artillery shell, and seven meters of safety fuse.
The law explicitly prohibits civilians from possessing such items, and the quantity and type of explosives found indicate a serious violation of weapons regulations.
The prosecution requested pretrial detention, assessing that there is a real risk that the suspect could repeat the offense. The investigating judge accepted the argument and ordered a measure that, for now, will last one month.
Additional details about the motives behind such behavior have not yet been released, and the investigation is ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the case.
