The National Police has discovered, when I was trying to rescue a dog two warehouses and a house in the Malaga towns of Mijas and Fuengirola, where they had settled illegal hatcheries for intensive animal breeding.
The agents have arrested the alleged perpetrator, a 42-year-old man, who ran a pet store, for a continuous crime of animal abuse and another of animal abuse for sexual purposes by means of the intensive procreation in hatcheries, as reported by the Police.
The agents discovered the illegal activity when they tried to free a dog that they had in a situation of helplessness and that, finally, was found dead.
Following the complaint from the owner of the animal 140 dogs have been released that were in terrible hygienic-sanitary conditions, including many females subjected to intensive sexual reproduction.
The investigation began in May after a complaint from the owner of a dog who warned of the possible mistreatment that her dog could be receiving, which she had to enter a pet shop from Fuengirola for personal reasons.
The complainant began to receive, shortly after, threats of the person in charge of the establishment to pay an economic amount.
In order to coerce her, she also received a video in which she could show bad conditions and the mistreatment that the animal was receiving.
Despite the owner’s insistence to get the bitch back didn’t make it and she was once again threatened that if she did not pay the requested amount, they would kill the animal.
During the investigations, the agents traveled to the establishment, located in Fuengirola, in order to rescue the dog, but they found seventeen dogs of different breeds that lacked documentation and official certificates.
In addition, the animals were in hygienic-sanitary conditions that endangered their health.
According to what the investigators were able to find out, the owner of the store had two kennels located in Mijas, where the complainant’s dog could be found.
The agents went to the place, located the ships and found the complainant’s animal – a water dog – inside a kennel. lay lifeless on the ground along with other dogs, up to a total of 65. Both ships were next to a home belonging to the person under investigation and were used as kennels.
No drainage systems for excrement
All the facilities lacked a zoological registry for the breeding of domestic animals, did not meet the precise conditions as a hatchery, they lacked drainage systems for excrement, They did not have ventilation or natural lighting and they did not even have hygienic feeders and drinkers installed.
Some dogs had to undergo surgery for not respecting the basic principles of animal welfare, all of them subjected to the business.
In total, 140 dogs have been rescued, some suffered serious diseases, others suffered from skin lesions. Animals of large breeds had wounds on the extremities and on the ears.
Some also had dental mutilations and fractures and the agents found medication in the facilities that causes an abnormal development of their gestation status.
The Police highlights “the merciless violation of basic principles of animal welfare in the sale of dogs, in this irregular case”.