The case of Alicante - Together, we can...
It is our firm wish to keep you up to date with the cases we deal with at El Refugio del Burrito. We’d like to let you have an update on the Alicante rescue case, the largest we have faced since we started our work in Spain. It was in Callosa de Segura, in the Alicante province, where we discovered that a dealer had about 49 horses in deplorable conditions. Tied 24 hours a day, locked and with limited access to food and water; literally starving. We were able to rescue 9 donkeys we found there. Unfortunately two of them had to be euthanized as soon as we arrived, due to the poor conditions they were in. Another one died two days later, and the rest are now at our facilities since then, getting all the love and care they need.
El Refugio del Burrito placed a criminal complaint against the owner of the place, because of his continuing offenses to existing Animal Welfare laws in Valencia; that is, continuous mistreatment and neglect of the animals there.
Even so, the case took an unexpected turn as the resolution taken by Court No. 2 in Orihuela, states tio find no signs of crime and the judge has ordered the case to be filed.
We cannot understand this decision, when it is a blatant violation of Law 4 /1994 of 8 July, of the Generalitat Valenciana, on the Protection of Pets, not to mention that this man has been repeatedly denounced for abuse and illegal transportation of animals. Reports from Seprona and the very Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of the Generalitat Valenciana, even called for the closure of the facilities and immobilization of the animals there. This has not been fulfilled, and this dealer has continued its activity on site where, after our intervention, there were still some horses left that could not be rescued.
The whole thing makes us sad, because it shows a lack of awareness on animal welfare existing in certain sectors of the Spanish society; there’s a lot of work to be done in this regard. Still, we do not lose hope and continue to work to create that awareness and, as a most immediate issue, get that farm closed and find good homes for the animals that remain there.
We have appealed the Court of Orihuela’s decision and , we are campaigning to collect signatures to present to the City Council of Callosa, and the Department of Agriculture, since according to its bylaws, they have the power to draw away from their animals that remain in a desperate situation. We even have the support of the Euro group for Animal Protection of the European Parliament, who sent letters to the relevant authorities so that the case is not filed and our demands are met.
The animals still there, and others who, undoubtedly, must have arrived during the past few months , must be taken out of that living hell. We ask for all your support by signing the petition, because together we will make this change for the better.
Sign Petition Now
We are confident that we will win this battle, but we need to be united : together we can give these animals the life they always deserved.
change.org petition translation
We call for the immediate closure of illegal facilities Ctra Shore Road, Polygon 15 , plot 52 of Horny de Segura.
For the past 2 years , there are more than 35 horses in deplorable sanitary and hygienic conditions whose lives are at risk if they are not provided food, water and veterinary care immediately . As confirmed by 3 different veterinary reports and two reports of Orihuela Seprona of 28-08-2012 and 15-06-2013.
Central Services Agriculture Alicante, in the official notification to the owner, November 23, 2012 , where after receiving the first complaint Seprona, the official veterinary service OCAPA in Act No. 17AOK 0,020,785 confirm "the existence of 7 donkeys, seven mules and 21 horses in a very poor state of meat, even with mobility , presence of a significant accumulation of manure and debris on the existence of mediation facilities. " After which the extent of immobilization of all equidae present in all areas , not allowing the exit or entry of other equines was taken. And he asked the owner to a veterinarian do a clinical examination all animals that the owner must submit to the OCAPA within 10 days, as this never happened.