Netizens outraged after 145kg man 'squashes' donkey to death
Animal activists are outraged after a Spanish Christmas market turned into a "slaughterhouse" last week.
That's when a donkey that was part of a nativity scene was accidentally killed by an obese man.
On Dec 10, the 322-pound (about 145 kg) man climbed on the donkey, a 5-month-old named Platero, at the market in Lucena to pose for a picture.
He had his hand on his hip and another hand holding onto the wooden fence that was meant to keep people out.
Just two days later, people in the town noticed that the donkey was not moving around much and could barely stand.
Died soon after ride
Vets said they could not help the animal and it died the next day.
Police began their investigation after The Association for the Defence of Donkey and Lucena Animal Circle filed a police report against the man who climbed on the donkey, newspaper The Independent reported.
The man posted the picture of himself riding the donkey on WhatsApp and called it a "great achievement."
The photo was shared on Lucena Animal Circle's Facebook page.
Website HNGN also said the group explained the scenario regarding Platero's death:
"The nativity scene became a slaughterhouse...our Platero was literally squashed by a man whose photo was spread by WhatsApp users calling it a 'hazaña' (great achievement).
"The man climbed the fence and pushed Platero around until he could proudly pose 'galloping' with almost 150kg of weight on his fragile body...fatally injuring him." Lucena Animal Circle Facebook post
On Wednesday, police in Lucena detained a 38-year-old man over the incident and charged him with animal abuse, a local police spokesman said.
Sources: El Mundo, HNGN, Facebook
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