In a horrifying video that went viral on social media, a laughing boy throws a terrified dog off a cliff into the sea.
As the boy approaches the edge of the cliff, the dog, which appears to be a spaniel, tries desperately to escape from his grip. In the background, a person can be heard laughing, and appears to call the perpetrator "George." The boy then hurls the canine into the air, and it flails helplessly before striking the water. The dog then surfaces and swims to the shore.
Police in Falmouth, Cornwall are investigating the incident and doing everything they can to find the animal abuser. In a statement, they confirmed the dog was uninjured and encouraged people not to seek vigilante justice.
"Police are investigating a report of concern for the welfare of an animal in Falmouth on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 1," a police spokesperson said, per Cornwall Live. "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."
"We ask that people, including users of social media, do not speculate around the circumstances of this incident, or the individual involved," the spokesperson continued. "We are aware of threats that have been made online would urge members of the public to leave this investigation with the police, and not to take the law into their own hands."
The Royal Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the UK's largest animal welfare charity, also issued a statement. "We have been made aware of some upsetting footage showing a dog being thrown off a cliff in Falmouth on May 1," a spokesperson for the organization said, per Metro. "We are very concerned about this incident and would like to reassure people we are looking into it."
Comedian Ricky Gervais, an effusive animal lover, shared the footage on Twitter in an attempt to catch the "evil little c***."
UPDATE: The police identified the individuals involved with this incident.
