Two hunters from Güéjar Sierra are facing trial, accused of animal cruelty and face a 40-month, jail sentence if found guilty.

The case against them was brought to court by the Asociación Protectora de Animales Galgos del Sur, who recommend the maximum sentence permitted by law that the court could impose.

The suspects were investigated by the environmental branch of the Guardia Civil, Seprona, who ascertained that these two huntsmen (a person who looks after a pack of hunting dogs) had 21 hunting dogs in their charge.

When the police moved in during July, they could only save eight, which were immediately confiscated and handed over to an animal refuge, Galgos del Sur, based in Villafranca (Córdoba).

Another five dogs were put down immediately owing to the terrible condition that they were in. The rest had simple “disappeared”

The dogs lived in cages surrounded by their own excrement and urine, with no water and chained up 24 hours a day. There were sacks of dog feed (green in colour and full of insects) scattered together with the excrement

The vet who examined them confirmed that they suffered from malnutrition and were covered in parasites, as well as intestinal ones. Many had ulcers and lacerations.

The private prosecution (Galgos de Sur) recommends 3.5 years imprisonment and a 4-year prohibition from owning animals or having employment connect with them. There are 21 counts of animal cruelty, five of which include causing death.

The public prosecutor, on the other hand, only recommends 16 months’ imprisonment and 3.5 year prohibition from owning or working with animals.

The Chairwoman of Galgos del Sur, Patricia Almansa, says that this is not about a single case of animal cruelty but rather the general situation of hunting dogs in Spain.

Editorial comment: what is difficult to get your head around is that a cruel and  heartless being like this should only be banned from holding animals for a few years, instead of for life! People like this have proven, beyond doubt, that they are unfit, full stop, to ever have charge over any animal. A temporary barring is ridiculous.

(News: Güejar Sierra, Vega, Granada, Andalucia)