Haría Ayuntamiento have denounced a case of animal abuse that came to their attention last Wednesday when municipal cleaners found a cat that had been left inside of a rubbish container.
Local police officers, as well as the veterinarian and the councilman in charge of animal welfare, Marcos Lemes, arrived at the scene to free the animal and transfer it immediately to the veterinary centre to treat the cat’s serious injuries.
Lemes reported that “these facts have been immediately brought to the attention of the Seprona [the Guardia Civil’s wildlife division] so that, once they collect all the necessary evidence, they begin the necessary investigations to find the perpetrator(s) of this despicable act.”.
Lemes pointed out that “the penalties for animal mistreatment can reach up to 18 months in prison if the mistreatment involves aggravating factors such as the use of weapons, execution of the act with cruelty or if the mistreatment was carried out by the owner, as reflected in the recent reform of the Penal Code”. In addition, in the event that the mistreated animal dies, the penalty can be between one and three years in prison.
