In antiquity, dogs were sacrificed to appease the goddess Hecate, and despite the rise of Christianity similar abusive rituals are still in practice in some places today.

Most recently, a team of experts from Batman University unearthed an ancient sculpture of the Greek goddess Hecate, the university said in an Aug. 18 news release. The 2,300-year-old statue ...

This ties the ritual back to Hecate and witches; the idea is that witches, devils, and demons cannot cross running water. Although more humane, the dogs were clearly often terrified by the process.

Most recently, a team of experts from Batman University unearthed an ancient sculpture of the Greek goddess Hecate, the university said in an Aug. 18 news release. The 2,300-year-old statue ...