A 55-YEAR-OLD German man has been arrested in Estepona by agents working on behalf of the Guardia Civil’s nature protection branch SEPRONA.
Investigators were working within the Guardia’s ongoing anti-animal abuse campaign ‘Yo si puedo contarlo’ (English: I can tell you), and the detainee is suspected of intentionally mistreating a number of dogs at his country home.
His neighbours raised the alarm after becoming suspicious about the man’s neglectful care of his pets, and when officers arrived at the scene they encountered 12 dogs “covered in accumulated dirt and grime” and suffering from severe dehydration and malnutrition.
The lifeless bodies of six other dogs, five of which were in an advanced state of decomposition, were also unearthed during a subsequent inspection of the garden.
Eight of the live animals were taken to nearby veterinarians due to their precarious state of health, with the other four transferred to a local shelter, while their owner has been placed behind bars pending a court appearance.
