A number of persons in the evening of July 24 staged a protest against cruelty to animals in front of the Moldovan Metropolitan Church. They criticized the behavior of deacon Gennady Valuța who was seen dragging a dog tied with a chain to his car along a public road. The protesters demanded to remove him from office, IPN reports.
Civic activist Erica Zucec said the images showing the dog being towed by the car are simply terrifying. Such inhuman, inappropriate and cruel behavior should be penalized, no matter who behaves like this. She noted she was shocked to learn that the author of such a deed was a church official – deacon Gennady Valuța.
Erica Zuchek said the church is one of the few institutions that is now trusted by the people and it won’t be right to diminish the people’s trust and hope for a pious life with high moral standards. “We consider it is inacceptable for a church official to contribute to propagating aggressiveness and to inhuman deeds in society. This official should be banned from holding services,” stated the activist.
She welcomed the Moldovan Church’s decision to suspend the deacon from his clerical duties at the St. Dumitru Church in Anenii Noi, but said their actions will not stop here as they must prevent the possible rehabilitation of Gennady Valuța.
The protesters carried placards with such messages as “Dogs are the oldest friends of men” and “God created animals on Earth by species”.
Deacon Gennady Valuța became the focus of attention after he was seen towing a dog tied to his car. Videos and photos of the dog being pulled by the clergy member from Anenii Noi were published on a social networking site on July 22. These show the animal suffered injuries. The case was condemned by animal rights defenders.
