Four defendants deny guilt in shooting of three dogs in Bauska region

The Zemgale Regional Court in Tukums on Thursday started hearing a criminal case concerning the shooting of three dogs in Brunava Parish, Bauska Municipality. The defendants are Egīls Gailis, former chief of Bauska Municipality municipal police, officers Andris Millers and Kristīne Leitere-Ozoliņa, and hunter Gatis Minkevičs. All four pleaded not guilty.

The defence asked for a closed hearing, citing threats and criticism directed at the defendants on social media, but the court rejected the request.

According to the prosecution, Gailis received information about allegedly aggressive dogs but did not verify the situation in person. Instead, he ordered that hunters be contacted to kill the animals. The head of the local hunters' collective initially refused, but after Gailis insisted, a message was posted in the group's WhatsApp chat asking for a hunter willing to carry out the task. Minkevičs responded and shot all three dogs.

Minkevičs is charged with cruel treatment of animals resulting in their death. Gailis faces a charge of deliberately exceeding official authority, causing significant harm; prosecutors say his actions also damaged the prestige of Bauska municipal police and public trust in the institution. Leitere-Ozoliņa and Millers are accused of failing to perform their duties as public officials, also causing significant harm.

The case file includes a conversation in which Millers told a colleague that he would "most happily shoot these cripples," apparently referring to the dogs. His lawyer argued the remark was taken out of context and that the officer was under stress.

The dogs' owner, Modris Konovalovs, was present in court but did not testify personally; his lawyer read out his testimony because Konovalovs said he was too emotional to do so. The trial will continue at later hearings. The incident is dated 10 October 2025.