MADRID: Spanish police said today they found 32 dogs dead from starvation at a farm and are investigating the owner on suspicion of animal neglect.
The animals had been abandoned without food or water at the property in the southwestern province of Badajoz since June, with some allowed to roam free and others chained or confined in cages, the Guardia Civil police force said in a statement.
“In some cases, the dogs had tried to feed on the remains of others that had already died,” it added.
Officers discovered the carcasses of the animals “in varying stages of decomposition” scattered across the property last week after receiving a complaint that dogs were being kept unattended and in a poor condition. The dogs were all extremely thin.
Photos released by the police showed several emaciated dog carcasses.
Police said they had opened an investigation into the farm’s owner for alleged animal abandonment resulting in the dogs’ deaths.
Spain in 2023 adopted a new law on animal welfare which toughened the punishment for mistreatment and abandonment.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
