Lodi family demands justice for husky that died after being shot by police with stun gun
Nearly 40 people gathered at the crossroads of Pine and Sacramento streets in Lodi this weekend to remember the life of a dog, a 2-year-old husky named Enzo.
But, not only were they present to remember Enzo, they were there to speak out about his untimely death.
The streets of downtown Lodi echoed with chants of "Justice for Enzo" as the family of the dog and community members marched from the Lodi train station to City Hall, and finally, to police headquarters.
"The only thing that Enzo would murder or kill was people's unattended food," said Aline Galeno, Enzo's owner. "If you left your food anywhere, Enzo would get ahold of it and eat it."
Galeno continued to list the things Enzo liked and said he loved belly rubs, head pats and his squeaker.
But, on Jan. 24, Enzo escaped his family's home on Sandpiper Circle and ended up on Finch Run, where a Lodi police officer tased him as an animal services officer attempted to detain him.
Shortly after the incident, a video of the police officer tasing Enzo was posted to Tiktok, which was reshared across multiple social media platforms.
In the video, a police officer is seen tasing the dog at least two times, before and after an animal services officer snared him with a catchpole. As the bystanders question the officer about his action, he responds by saying the dog was being aggressive with some children in the area.
Galeno said that she watched the video only once and could not handle it. "It was too much; he was my baby," she explained as she teared up. "We never hit him even once. And to think that he was in so much pain in his last moments is so painful for us."
Galeno said she would soon seek help from a mental health professional to cope.
Anna Marques, mother of Aline Galena, joined her family in the streets to demand justice for her "son Enzo." Marques said, "If this would happen to an innocent dog, it could happen to a person, and it could happen to a child."
The march was sponsored by People Advocating for Animal Welfare (PAAW), a group of longtime animal rescuers.
Kristine Verdile, a member of PAAW, shared in a statement that the organization demands that the officers involved be terminated immediately from Lodi Police Department and Animal Services and be charged with a felony for animal cruelty.