Hundreds of dogs were rescued from a house in Amarante, this Tuesday, following a report of alleged mistreatment. Authorities suspect the existence of an illegal breeding scheme for the sale of animals, which may have been active for several years.
A major operation launched today in Amarante led to the identification of a woman for alleged mistreatment of animals and removal of more than 300 dogswhich are being sent to associations and reception locations.
According to the entities involved in the operation, the place would function as an authentic “animal factory” intended for commercialization. The dogs are mostly small and belong to breeds that are highly sought after on the Internet and in pet stores.
A source from the GNR Porto Territorial Command told Lusa that the security force responded to a request for urgent collaboration from the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary Medicine (DGAV) regarding a possible crime of mistreatment of pet animals.
The Mayor of Amarante, Jorge Ricardodescribed the situation as very delicate and which puts “public health itself” into question, and which would have originated from a complaint that pointed to the breeding of animals for sale.
The scene found inside the residence revealed extremely critical conditions for the survival and well-being of the hundreds of animals kept there. The dogs were surrounded by feces and lived in overcrowded cages, crowded in closed rooms, without adequate hygiene conditions.
According to , the scheme may have been in operation since at least 2018, as sales advertisements published that year were found.
The rescue operation included the participation of elements from the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF), the IRA (Animal Intervention and Rescue), the GNR and the General Directorate of Food and Veterinary Affairs (DGAV).
The president of the IRA, Thomas Piresexplained that the person responsible for the space will have shown the facilities to both authorities and potential buyers of the animals.
The removal of dogs should last for about 24 hoursdue to the high number of animals involved and the need to carefully assess the health status of each one.
Given the exceptional scale of the operation and the need to guarantee the medical screening, identification and safe transport of approximately two hundred dogs, a significant logistical device was set up in the region.
The animals will now be subjected to veterinary assessments details to determine your clinical status, ensure the necessary care and define the next steps regarding your reception, recovery and protection.
