Agents from the Seprona team of the Civil Guard of Segovia, within the framework of operation ‘Sanus Aures’, investigate a person for an alleged crime of animal abuse related to the cutting of the ears and tails of some of his hunting dogs. property, according to what sources from the Armed Institute informed Europa Press.
During the actions, between the months of November and December, a hut was located in a municipality of the province where dogs of a breed common in hunting activities were housed. From outside the booth, the agents observed anomalous behavior from two people handling a dog.
Alerted by the animal’s screeches, they inspected the interior of the property and located seven puppies, young, with recent bleeding, which had had part of their ears and tails cut off.
After these efforts and the expert support prepared by the Official Veterinary Services of the Junta de Castilla y León de Segovia, it was determined that the mutilations had been carried out without the corresponding medical prescription, and by people not qualified to carry out said intervention. surgical.
After the investigation, the author of the events and owner of the puppies was identified, to whom the alleged authorship of a crime of animal abuse, typified in the Penal Code, in accordance with the European Convention of Strasbourg on protection of companion animals, in force in Spain since February 1, 2018, and which prohibits otectomy (ear cropping) and caudectomy (tail cutting) practices.
These surgical interventions can only be performed by veterinary professionals, who must first determine the causes for carrying them out, and the treatment necessary to restore the health of the operated animal.
Failure to comply with these national regulations entails criminal and/or administrative responsibilities for whoever carries out these actions.
In this regard, the current law for the protection of the rights and welfare of animals establishes the prohibition of performing any type of mutilation or permanent body modifications on animals, without a functional or aesthetic reason of any kind being used as justification.
That carried out by authorized personnel must be accredited by a report from a registered veterinary professional or belonging to a public administration, which will be recorded in the corresponding identification record.
Exceptions from this prohibition are identification systems using ear marking of community cats and those required for therapeutic needs, to guarantee their health or to limit or annul their reproductive capacity.