Trial over shooting of three dogs in Brunava parish postponed to November
A Zemgale district court hearing in a criminal case over the shooting of three dogs in Bauska municipality's Brunava parish will resume on 25 November after September's session was cancelled.
The Zemgale district court in Tukums will continue hearing a criminal case over the shooting of three dogs in Brunava parish, Bauska municipality, last October, with the next session set for 25 November at 9 a.m. A hearing previously scheduled for Wednesday, 23 September, did not take place.
Court chair's assistant Sanita Skulme explained that 23 September had been a reserve date, booked in case one of the defense lawyers could free up time from another proceeding. Since that was not possible, the case was rescheduled to the already agreed date of 25 November.
Four defendants
Four people face charges in the case: hunter Gatis Minkevičs, Bauska municipal police senior inspector Kristīne Leitere-Ozoliņa, inspector Andris Millers, and former municipal police chief Egīls Gailis. All defendants deny guilt.
The former police chief is charged with intentional actions by a state official that exceeded the powers granted by law and caused substantial harm. The municipal police officers are charged with negligent failure to perform their official duties, while the hunter is charged with cruelty to animals resulting in their death.
What happened in Brunava
On 10 October 2025, two municipal police officers responded to a report of aggressive stray dogs at a property in Brunava parish. They found three dogs and gave the duty officer an assessment of their danger, after which a hunter and staff from a stray-animal capture service were called. Prosecutors say the officers, without waiting for the capture service representatives to arrive and carry out the legally required capture, identification and, if needed, shelter placement of the dogs, failed to fulfil their duty to maintain public order and enforce municipal regulations.
Readers had asked why recordings of municipal press conferences on the Brunava case were no longer available on the municipality's YouTube channel. Business and marketing department head Laura Ārente said the recordings remain accessible through the municipality's website publications from 13 and 30 October. No explanation was given for their removal from YouTube.
