A Dutch newspaper has raised the question whether meat from dogs in Spain has ended up in food for human consumption. As a result, the EU authorities have “asked” Spain to supply an explanation.

The suspect meat appears to have originated in Galicia and ended up in feed meal for fattening sheep and cows… or worse.

Furthermore, about 18 months ago, Olga Costa who runs the animal protection association, El Refugio de Cambados (Pontevedra) reported the alleged irregularities being carried out by a dogs home. She had tried to inspect the installations to see how stray animals were being put down but was refused permission by the owners.

What really made her suspicious was a comment made by a woman who had gone to the company’s headquarters in an attempt to say a final goodbye to her pet and found workers de-boning dog carcasses.

Suspecting foul play she reported the dogs home to the animal protection department of the Guardia Civil (Seprona). A subsequent inspection found 15 tonnes of meat being stored. From there it was taken to an incineration plant and destroyed in Salamanca. However, DNA tests on the meat found that there was bovine meat scraps from a slaughterhouse, as well as from several kinds of wild animals… and meat from dogs and cats. Once converted into ashes the normal process was to include it in meal for cattle fattening.

However, according to the Dutch newspaper, De Telegraaf, canine meat could have been diverted and used to make meatballs and hamburgers for human consumption.

Could this develop into another scandal along the lines of the Europe-wide horse meat affair? Time will tell.

By the way, before anybody mentions it, the image that goes with this article is not related to the Telegraaf article, but just a generic image of the paper itself… so could all the Nederlanders stop sniggering, please.

(News: Spain)