Indonesian police have launched an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse involving a dog at a pet café in North Jakarta after footage of the incident went viral on social media, sparking widespread public outrage.
Penjaringan Metro Police Criminal Investigation Unit chief AKP Sampson Sosa Hutapea said authorities had received a report regarding the incident and were carrying out further investigations.
According to police, the video allegedly shows a man engaging in inappropriate acts with a dog inside the premises.
“We have received a report regarding the incident and investigations are ongoing,” he told local media on Wednesday.
Several individuals, including the complainant, have been called in to assist with the investigation. The man linked to the incident has also been questioned, although he has not been formally named as a suspect.
Police said they have not ruled out conducting a psychological evaluation on the individual if deemed necessary.
Meanwhile, Dogs Ministry operations manager Yuliana Monica Petronela clarified that the dog involved was not owned by a customer but belonged to the café itself.
She said the Pomeranian, named Sissy, belongs to the owner of Dogs Ministry and denied claims that any customers’ pets had been victimised.
Monica revealed that the incident allegedly took place on June 1 and involved a 22-year-old regular customer identified as OWL, who was known to staff members.
She said the man was seen interacting excessively with Sissy before employees noticed suspicious behaviour and alerted management.
After reviewing CCTV footage and monitoring the situation from the second floor, Monica claimed she witnessed the incident and immediately separated the dog from the man before bringing him to the Penjaringan Police Station.
She also disclosed that staff had previously warned the individual one to two weeks earlier after he allegedly forced another dog to be hugged and kissed despite the animal showing signs of discomfort.
Following the incident, Sissy reportedly displayed noticeable behavioural changes. The dog, previously active and friendly, became quieter and spent more time resting.
Monica said Sissy also lost approximately 800 grams within a few days and was diagnosed with anaemia due to a lack of appetite.
Blood tests were conducted to rule out infections or other health complications, with results showing no diseases were detected.
Sissy remains at Dogs Ministry to recover in a familiar environment, although she is separated from visitors whenever the premises become crowded.
The case remains under investigation by Indonesian authorities.
