A driver arrested for running over a dog in the village of Avliotes, in northern Corfu, has been ordered to appear before the prosecutor. The incident has caused widespread revulsion and grief since a video was made public showing his car driving over the animal as it lay in the road.

According to reports, the driver is expected to request time to prepare his defence. A case file has already been compiled against him by North Corfu Police Station.

The incident took place in the early hours of Saturday, 22 August, on a narrow street in Avliotes. Footage shared on social media shows the car approaching the dog, slowing down briefly before driving over the animal. The vehicle then stops for a moment before driving away, while the dog, severely injured, dies a few seconds later.

The driver’s arrest and the compilation of the case file have also been confirmed by other reports on the case.

The video, which has been widely shared, contains extremely distressing footage.

The Panhellenic Group Against the Abuse of Animals, an animal welfare organisation, has also been made aware of the incident, while the police investigation continues.

What penalties the law provides

The current legal framework governing the intentional killing of an animal in Greece is particularly strict, and can lead up to 10 years of imprisonment. Law 4830/2021 explicitly classifies the killing or torture of animals to include deliberate crushing, shooting, poisoning and other acts that cause death or serious injury.

If the prosecutorial and judicial investigation finds that the dog’s death was caused intentionally, and the act falls under article 24, paragraph 1(b) of the law, the case will be classified as a felony.

Article 34 of the law provides for a prison sentence of up to 10 years and a fine of up to 500 daily units for the killing or torture of an animal, each unit set at between 50 and 100 euros. The financial penalty can therefore reach up to 50,000 euros.

Criminal proceedings aside, an administrative fine of between 30,000 and 50,000 euros is also provided for each animal and each incident in cases of killing or torture. The level of the administrative penalty is set out in the Ministry of the Interior’s current schedule of fines.

The key factor now in determining how the driver will be treated under the law is the assessment of the video footage and the rest of the case file, specifically whether there was intent to kill the animal. The case will now go to the prosecutor’s office, where the charges against him and the further course of proceedings will be decided.