HONOLULU - Military officials are investigating an Internet video that purports to show a Marine throwing a puppy off a rocky cliff.
Maj. Chris Perrine of the Marine Corps Base Hawaii says it appears the man is based with a unit in the islands.
Marine officials are calling the YouTube video "shocking and deplorable" and say it violates "the high standard we expect of every Marine."
- To view the video, click the link on the right (Warning: disturbing content)
The low-quality video shows two Marines joking as one holds up what appears to be a motionless black and white puppy, which he then hurls into a rocky gully.
A yelping sound is heard as it flies through the air.
Viewers have posted comments on various YouTube videos and on Digg.com expressing outrage.
"Glad to see that soldiers have nothing better to do with their time: be inhumane toward a helpless animal," writes a Digg poster named colomis. "Then again, you didn't see the guys filming it try and stop him either. Makes me kind of sick to my stomach."
However, questions are already surfacing on the Internet about whether the video is authentic.
"We need to find out who is this person, is this a legitimate video? Was it edited?" Maj. Perrine said.
