Malaga province fights animal abuse with 125 animals rescued and 66 suspects

The Guardia Civil's nature protection unit (Seprona) has successfully carried out two operations in Malaga province: 'Malum' for crimes of domestic animal mistreatment and/or abandonment and 'Faunus' for crimes against wildlife.

Thanks to the two operations, the police have investigated 66 people and rescued 125 animals, solving 44 crimes.

Operation 'Malum' has investigated 34 people for crimes of mistreatment and abandonment of domestic animals in various municipalities of Malaga. The police have solved a total of 29 crimes within 'Malum'.

Seprona officers have rescued 70 animals that were living in deplorable conditions. Many animals had wounds or diseases such as leishmaniasis, mange and other pathologies.

The operation has issued 245 reports for administrative infringements of animal regulations, mainly related to animal welfare, inadequate sheltering, lack of food, water, hygiene, vet care, documentation and sanitary records.

The investigators have carried out 63 inspections in various facilities where the animals were kept. They have reported any deficiencies to the competent authorities.

Operation 'Faunus' has ended with 32 people investigated for various offences related to illegal hunting and fishing. The Seprona team have rescued 55 animals and released back into the wild those that had a chance of survival. Vets have been in charge of treating injured specimens.

The police have solved 15 crimes and made 67 reports for administrative offences, most of them related to hunting.

They have also seized 227 items of banned hunting gear, ownership of which constitutes a crime against wildlife.

Seprona also made complaints against illegal animal trafficking crimes after finding speciments of sulcata turtles (centrochelys sulcata), a loggerhead turtle shell (caretta caretta) and a grey parrot (psittacus erithacus).

Malaga's environmental prosecution is now in charge of the cases.