Liberty Times reported on the 11th that online accounts of a Changhua County fire department member shooting a stray black dog with a BB gun and beating it with a mop have stirred public anger. The report does not give the exact date or place of the incident.

Netizens call the dog 'Xiao Hei' (Blackie). Its whereabouts are unknown, so netizens and dog-lover groups have launched an all-out search and are asking for sightings near the scene.

Fire department: no cover-up, case referred

The Changhua County Fire Bureau said it will not shield the matter. The employee has apologized, and the bureau has gathered evidence and passed it to the county's animal disease control office for investigation. It stressed that the top priority is to find the dog quickly and check its injuries.

County councilor Wu Wei-da wrote on Facebook that surveillance footage shows no obvious heavy bleeding, but video alone cannot show whether there are internal or other injuries.

Because the accused is a public servant responsible for public safety, the case has drawn wide attention. The animal office's findings and whether the dog is safe will be the next points to watch.