Police rescue dog found abandoned at bottom of well in Teruel and investigate owner for cruelty

The Civil Guard in Teruel is investigating a person as the alleged perpetrator of an animal cruelty offence in Calanda, after a dog was found in a well eight metres deep, covered with a metal grate bolted to the ground.

The incident happened on 7 September, when members of the Mora de Rubielos mountain rescue and intervention group (GREIM), together with officers from the Guardia Civil's Seprona nature protection wing in Alcañiz and Alcorisa’s public safety personnel, rescued a dog that was trapped inside a well at a ruined monastery in Calanda. The previous day, the alarm was raised by a hiker visiting the convent, who had been alerted by an animal howling. She went to investigate the source of the noise and found a dog trapped inside the well. After notifying the Guardia Civil, officers from the Alcorisa station arrived at the scene.

Upon seeing the animal, the officers checked that the well had no water, and requested support from the GREIM unit. Once the specialists arrived in the area, they found that there was only one way to reach the animal, so they set up two semi-static ropes and entered using a rappelling technique. Once inside, the officers provided the animal with food and water and fitted it with a muzzle and harness for its extraction. To prevent the animal from hitting the walls during the ascent, one of the officers stayed inside guiding the rope.

After being rescued, officers from Seprona proceeded to read animal's the microchip, which helped to locate the owner of the dog, who is now being investigated as the possible perpetrator of an alleged crime of animal abuse.

The case has now been submitted to the investigating court 1 in Alcañiz.