The city of Naples, Italy, denies accusations of frivolous spending to restore a long-heralded breed of guard dog, the Mastino Napolitano. A large muscular breed, mastiffs were thought to have been used in battle by the Romans, trained to disembowel enemy horses.
Now a favored guard dog and status symbol by members of the mafia, the breed's numbers are fading as reports of attacks by the dogs have increased.
Officials in Naples have denied a program funded off the books, to the tune of $786,600, designed at restoring a now-endangered breed of dog.
