CHIANG MAI — Police in Chiang Mai province on Friday said they have concluded the cause of the death of a stray dog adopted by students of a local university as their beloved mascot.
“Tia,” or “Shorty” in English, is widely considered to be a honorary resident of Chiang Mai University, where students often fed him food. The dog went missing on Tuesday, and he was found dead with wounds on his body two days later.
Local police chief Col. Kittipong Petmunee said investigators ruled he was run over by a car. Kittipong said wounds on Tia’s body showed he was most likely struck by a car from behind.
The officer added that Tia’s death appeared to be an accident, refuting rumors on social media that the dog was murdered.
Monks were summoned to pray over Tia’s spirit at the site where he was found dead. Chiang Mai University students also floated a plan to build a statue dedicated to his memory.
