Animals beaten to death, horses abandoned without food or water in the middle of a heat wave or dogs sick with scabies or leishmaniasis and without any treatment.
The Civil Guard is investigating 34 people for different crimes of abuse and abandonment of domestic animals in the province of Malaga, in different municipalities.
The operation has been carried out in animal shelters, zoos, livestock farms and private kennels.
The work carried out by the agents of the Nature Protection Service (Seprona) under the direction and coordination of the Malaga Environmental Prosecutor's Office, developed within the Colaphus operation, has managed to rescue 111 animals that were "in a situation deplorable".
A total of 236 inspections have been carried out in which more than 500 administrative violations of animal regulations have been detected, as reported by the armed institute in a statement.
That is, more than two on average for each visit.
The most common problems are related to animal welfare: from inadequate accommodation to lack of food, water, hygiene or veterinary care.
The absence of documentary and health records is also common.
“There is everything: from tied dogs that reside in completely unhealthy areas, drinking fountains with stagnant green water or very sick animals that have never seen a veterinarian,” explain research sources.
During their inspections, agents have found dogs sick with leishmaniasis, scabies and other types of diseases without having received any type of care from veterinary professionals, while others had had their ears and tails amputated without any type of justification.
In addition, they have also found horses abandoned without food or water in the heat of the heat wave and even animals beaten to death.
The 34 people investigated face sentences of up to 18 months in prison if the abuse involves aggravating circumstances such as using weapons, carrying out the act with cruelty or if the abuse was carried out by the owner, as reflected in the recent reform of the Penal Code.
In the event that the animal dies, the punishment can be between one and three years in prison.
The same sources emphasize that the majority of the cases analyzed come from previous complaints, although there are also some ex officio.
In fact, the Environmental Prosecutor in Malaga, Fernando Benítez, explained to EL PAÍS at the end of 2023 that there is a “greater social sensitivity” with animal abuse and that the number of complaints was increasingly higher.
“People are taking the step to report and that is important,” he told this newspaper who, in addition, believes that both the Seprona agents and the different animal protection groups that exist in the municipal police forces and the National Police “They are very effective.”
The 111 rescued animals have been placed in the care of associations and protective entities so that they are available to the competent authorities.
Only some, the less serious cases, have been left in the hands of their owners “under the supervision and control of the authorities with jurisdiction in the matter.”
In the operation, Civil Guard agents have had the support of the Official College of Veterinarians of Malaga, as well as specialists from the Government of Andalusia.
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