83 Animals Are Rescued From A Clandestine Breeding
The event took place near San Cristóbal, Colombia. Thanks to complaints from the region’s inhabitants, 83 animals were rescued from a clandestine dog breeding facility. The place was dedicated to the illegal sale of pets.
A clandestine breeding in Medellin
“Mascot factories” are a very common problem around the world. This practice is even more widespread in countries like the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom, where people tend to pay for a purebred or “bred” dog or cat.
The marketing of companion animals is an extremely profitable business. But at the same time, it’s mean and cruel. Breeding sites are rarely reported because their location is not known or because people are afraid to act.
Fortunately, this did not happen in the San Cristóbal region, municipality of Medellín, Colombia. A group of neighbors denounced a clandestine breeding, through a video where they recorded the deplorable conditions in which 83 animals were found.
The recording was posted on the Facebook profile of a girl named Milena Pérez Ospina. Since then, the publication went viral and reached the competent authority. Environmental authorities managed to rescue 67 dogs, 14 cats and 2 miniature pigs. All were in terrible condition, inside an illegal breeding site.
The animals showed signs of malnutrition and dehydration. At the time of rescue, they were crammed into tiny, dirty cages. A little dog was even dying in one of them. According to authorities, the water supply at the site had been interrupted for weeks. The owner of the company only showed up there once a day and sometimes he didn’t even show up. Thus, the animals remained alone and uncared for.
Medellín’s environmental police reported that the establishment did not comply with sanitary requirements to be able to function as a breeding site. Furthermore, the animals were subjected to mistreatment and were neglected. During the rescue, officers captured a man who will be tried for the crime of mistreatment of animals, as established by Law 1,774 in the country.
Another case of rescue in a clandestine breeding site
This other case happened in Argentina, more precisely in the capital Buenos Aires. The 68 animals rescued were in a state of total abandonment in a residence in the Almagro neighborhood. Local police, volunteers from a dog shelter called “O Campito” and the Center for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals participated in the operation.
The rescue started in the early hours of the morning and ended in the afternoon. The judge in charge of the case issued an order to break into the place and remove the animals. The rescue team’s task lasted about three hours, due to the dogs’ health condition and the residence’s conservation. Wearing masks and surgical gloves, the volunteers took turns searching for the furry ones.
According to information from the Animal Cruelty Prevention Center, the clandestine breeding house housed 66 Toy Poodle dogs. All were in terrible health. There were also two Labrador dogs that were probably stolen in the area.
When the rescue ended, a group of neighbors standing behind the police cordon thanked everyone for their action with a huge applause. Many posted photos on social media as a thank you. The dogs were taken to a hospital to be treated by veterinarians.
Without a doubt, the best way to avoid horrible cases like these is not to buy animals from farms, clandestine or not. It is very important to make sure that the puppy’s parents are in good condition. And also that the establishment complies with the necessary requirements.
Main image source: www.noticiasambientales.com.ar
