2023-04-19 15:33:26
They were in cages intended for raising rabbits, with hardly any water and food, they lacked documentation and they were supplied with expired veterinary medicines. This is the highest penalty imposed in Aragon for this type of crime
The Criminal Court number 1 of Zaragoza has sentenced Adrian David G. to a year and a half in prison as the perpetrator of a crime of animal abuse for keeping 544 dogs in “deplorable” hygienic and sanitary conditions in illegal facilities intended for the breeding of rabbits
Likewise, he has been disqualified from having and working with any type of animal for four years and must pay a fine of 6,000 euros for civil liability. In addition, they are required to attend a re-education course against animal abuse.
The defendant acknowledged the facts and, after an agreement with the private prosecution, exercised by the National Association of Friends of Animals, accepted the aforementioned sentence without the need to hold an oral hearing.
Next to him, Iulia A. was to be tried, initially also investigated, although the charges were withdrawn as it was understood that there was not enough evidence against her.
The highest penalty established in the Aragon legislation for this type of crime has been imposed, as requested by the popular prosecution.
‘Sentence proportional to the seriousness of the facts’
For this reason, the National Association of Animals with Rights and Liberty, which brought the popular accusation from the outset, through Jorge Piedrafita’s law firm, considers the court ruling “very relevant.”
He understands that it is a sentence “proportionate to the seriousness of the facts” and hopes that it will be sufficiently dissuasive “to prevent these despicable acts from repeating themselves.”
For her part, the lawyer for the private prosecution, María Luisa Gutirrez Casas, and president of the Animal Protection Commission of the Zaragoza Bar Association, expressed her satisfaction with the sentence, which imposes the highest sentence to date in Aragon for a crime of animal abuse.
She is less satisfied with the sentence, the maximum possible so far, because, with the reform of the Criminal Code on animal abuse that came into force on Monday, the 18 months could have reached 24.
Deplorable conditions
The events date back to May 29, 2020 when agents of the Nature Conservation Service (Seprona) of the Civil Guard found 544 dogs, 294 adults and 250 puppies, in an old rabbit farm in the Zaragoza town of Maella. conditions that they described as deplorable.
In their report, the members of Seprona reflected that “the facilities are in deplorable hygienic and sanitary conditions. Numerous animals can be observed that are locked in cages of reduced dimensions, which implies their overcrowding and unsanitary conditions, since due to the reduced space the Animals defecate and urinate on top of their own food.
The first thing the agents detected upon entering the ship was a strong stench due to the absolute lack of cleanliness and the amount of feces and urine that accumulated in the cages and on the floor.
They also verified that they barely had water and food and lacked veterinary care.
During the inspection, veterinary medicines were found, for the use of which a prescription is required and some of them have expired, and the person responsible for the animals cannot provide them because they do not have them.
Of the adult specimens, 161 were not identified with a microchip. In addition, the defendant lacked authorization from the zoo and other necessary documents to carry out the activity of breeding dogs.
Outside the warehouse, on the property’s land, the Civil Guard located a metal drum, full of ashes, inside which they found animal bones and even a puppy that had been recently burned.
an illegal hatchery
Those responsible for the illegal dog kennel turned out to be David G., 71, and Iulia A., 52, who were reported and brought to justice, although the animals remained in their possession.
A week later, veterinary health agents from the Government of Aragon and veterinary technicians from the Animal Protection Center of the Zaragoza City Council went again to the Maella facilities and verified that of the 544 dogs that the Civil Guard had counted, only 55 remained.
The rest had been transferred to a warehouse in the Teruel town of Calanda, which turned out to be another old rabbit farm where the dogs were in the same or worse condition than in Maella.
The facility lacked ventilation, the animals continued to be overcrowded in cages, without fresh water and with nauseating and unbreathable air.
The dogs, of the Bichn Malts, Poodle, Yorkshire, Pomeranian, Chihuahua, Shih Tzu and Ratonero Valenciano breed, were distributed in different animal shelters in Zaragoza, Madrid and Vinaroz.
The poor condition of the dogs was such that seven of them died in the days following the police intervention despite receiving attention.
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