Police seize 110 malnourished dogs from a plot in Buñol, Valencia, and open an abuse probe

Discovery after a neighbour's alert

A neighbour in Buñol, a town in Valencia province, raised the alarm, and local officers began gathering evidence of possible animal cruelty on a rural plot inside the municipality. Once the evidence was consolidated, the Local Police asked for support from the Seprona unit of the Guardia Civil in Requena, the municipal force said in a social media post. Together the two forces counted 110 dogs on the land. ABC reports a separate Guardia Civil inspection of the same plot on 26 October, when agents recorded 110 dogs in poor health and unsanitary conditions. Only ABC gives that date, and the other outlets do not date the discovery.

Conditions on the plot

Officers found the animals in full sun and high temperatures, without access to water, and tied with short chains in spaces that left them almost no room. According to the local force, the dogs showed severe malnutrition and several other signs of mistreatment. ABC describes the plot as split into two areas: an outdoor zone where half the dogs were tied inside flimsy sheds, and a closed rustic building of roughly 85 square metres that held the rest, some on chains and others in small cages. In both areas the animals had little room to move or rest, and the site was littered with organic waste and filth. ABC also reports that 12 of the dogs did not survive the effects of their conditions, even after they were removed.

Seizure and shelter

Given the severity of the situation, all 110 dogs were seized and moved to Ribamontes, an animal shelter that Buñol council contracts, where a veterinarian is available. ABC states that the Buñol Local Police helped restrain and transport the dogs, and that the council covered the costs of the animals taken in. The Local Police said both the police actions and the animals have been placed at the disposal of the courts.

Legal status and investigation

Accounts differ on the legal stage of the owner. Europa Press, El Mundo and eldiario.es report that the owner of the plot has been placed under investigation for alleged animal abuse. ABC says the Guardia Civil detained a 50-year-old Spanish man on suspicion of animal abuse. The same ABC report says an unsecured 12-gauge shotgun was found in the building, and that the Seprona patrol in Utiel carried out the investigation and delivered the case file to the court in Requena. The owner's status is recorded here as each outlet reports it.

Police praise and thanks

The Local Police praised the professionalism and sensitivity of the two officers who led the case from the first day. The force also thanked the neighbour who raised the alarm and credited the Seprona team with careful and skilled investigative work. In its statement, the force said:

“they knew how to react quickly to an extremely urgent situation”

The case now sits with the courts, while the 110 dogs remain in the care of the shelter.