Police rescue 61 dogs and cats from Vélez-Málaga home, woman arrested

The rescue

Spanish National Police rescued 61 dogs and cats from a house in Vélez-Málaga, a town in the province of Málaga, and announced the operation in a statement on 26 October. Several animals had been shut inside kitchen furniture, some in total darkness. Investigators found 29 dogs and 32 cats in the various rooms of the property, which police described as extremely unsanitary. The case began with complaints from neighbours about constant barking and meowing and a strong smell coming from the building. Judicial police officers from the Vélez-Málaga station entered and searched the home, freed the animals and arrested a 53-year-old woman on suspicion of a continued offence of animal cruelty. Police said the aggravating circumstances include deliberate cruelty and, in some cases, the death of the animal.

Dogs29

Cats32

Dogs

29 animals

Cats

32 animals

Data from the article text

Condition of the animals

Most animals reached shelters with bloody diarrhoea, hair loss and eye problems, according to the reports. Several were suffering from serious diseases, including leishmaniasis, parvovirus and giardia, and some needed urgent treatment at nearby veterinary hospitals. The dogs arrived severely undernourished and dehydrated, and several had to stay in hospital for assisted feeding and intensive treatment. ABC Tu Diario en Español reported that some of the animals died and that a particularly aggressive parvovirus spread to others. Mange was also found in the house, and one of the cats had lost its sight completely.

The investigation

Police believe the woman picked up stray and lost dogs and cats from the street, some of them microchipped, and accumulated them without control in a house owned by her mother, who is over eighty. Police point to a possible Noah's syndrome, a compulsive animal hoarding disorder, which the reports describe as a possibility rather than a diagnosis. According to the investigation, the alleged offence goes beyond poor feeding and hygiene, since she also kept animals confined, in some cases in complete darkness inside kitchen furniture. The police account also says she prolonged the animals' suffering by failing to give them care. The city council of Vélez-Málaga covered the urgent veterinary costs of the cats, and several shelters across the province took in the rescued animals. The woman is being investigated for the offence described above.

Adoption appeal

Police have asked members of the public to adopt the animals, which have now been recovered and are housed in shelters and protection centres across the province. They are especially encouraging people to take in cats, because the adoption rate for cats is significantly lower than for dogs. Adoption is free of charge, and people can call 952 97 16 63 for details. The first alarm came from neighbours who complained about the noise and the smell, which led officers to the house.