The officers of the Santa Cruz Local Police, from the Urban Environment Protection service (PROTEU), have initiated legal proceedings for abandonment under the Animal Welfare Law (Law 7/2023 of March 28). This case concerns a dog named “Iron” who was discovered by an off-duty National Police officer in the parking area of Las Teresitas beach by chance. The rightful owner, a 28-year-old woman, persistently neglected to resolve the situation of the dog, leading to it being temporarily housed at the Valle Colino regional shelter for over 5 months.
“Iron”, a white pitbull, was rescued by shelter personnel last November after seeking refuge on a steep slope near Las Teresitas beach. The national police played an active role in the rescue operation. Due to the challenging terrain and the anxious state of the dog, it had to be partially sedated for a safe rescue. Afterward, “Iron” was taken to the shelter where his microchip was scanned, enabling the identification of his owner, ALFL. The dog was not reported missing or lost to any relevant authorities.
Following contact from the shelter, the owner claimed ignorance of the dog’s disappearance and expressed intentions to retrieve him. However, this did not come to fruition as the woman did not possess the necessary permit required to own a potentially dangerous breed. Subsequently, despite repeated attempts by the shelter staff to reach ALFL for documentation regularization and license acquisition, no progress was made.
Subsequently, after disregarding further communication attempts, the National Police were involved to warn ALFL of the potential consequences if the situation remained unresolved.
Presently, the dog’s status remains in limbo, prompting the Local Police PROTEU officers to file a report under the new Animal Welfare Law. Consequently, the owner may face a fine ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 euros. Furthermore, “Iron” is unable to be rehomed until the matter is resolved, prolonging his stay at the shelter’s short-term facility.
