Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Newsflash
This is the moment police roundup a pack of starving dogs left in appalling conditions on a balcony, including one injured dog that had apparently been thrown to the other animals to be eaten as food.
Police said they had arrested a 23-year-old man and he faces charges over trying to feed the living dog to his other pets, with the injured animal only surviving because it was rescued at the last minute by police.
A police spokesman told Newsflash that the injured animal was the German Shepherd crossbreed that could be seen in the video that had somehow been injured and at the time the footage was shot, was seemingly unable to walk.
The man, only identified by the initials F.J.R.S, was arrested in the town of El Ejido, in the southeastern Spanish province of Almeria in the Andalusia region. He has been charged with animal abuse and drug possession, among other crimes.
The National Police said in a press release obtained by Newsflash that the investigation started after several complaints from the suspect’s neighbours, who said he was selling drugs from his home, which they claimed contained a hidden marijuana crop.
Officers began watching people coming and going from the property, with visitors staying very briefly, and allegedly saw cannabis plants on the terrace.
They then raided the property and managed to stop the six malnourished dogs from eating the pooch which had allegedly been thrown to them as food.
The dog which had been intended as food was alive but seriously injured and as can be seen in the footage very stressed, with blood on a head wound, whilst the other six were being kept in awful hygienic conditions.
The suspect reportedly saw the officers raiding the property and according to the press release he then tried to escape by jumping from terrace to terrace in nothing but his underwear.
Officers eventually managed to surround and arrest him.
All the dogs were taken to the headquarters of the SOS Adopta animal protection association where they are being cared for.
The video shows the moment the police officers capture the pack of malnourished dogs including the emaciated German Shepherd at the property.
The suspect has been charged with animal abuse, drug possession, causing damage, and energy fraud and has now been sent to preventative prison following an order from the Instructional Court of El Ejido.
The National Police said that animal abuse in which the animal is injured but does not die is punishable with up to one year in prison in Spain.
The case is ongoing.
