The Nature Protection Service’s (SEPRONA) Civil Guard agents have launched an investigation involving a 60-year-old woman from La Laguna. She is being looked into for alleged violations of a court order, disobeying and resisting authority, and continual mistreatment/abandonment of domestic animals.
In January, the Civil Guard was asked by San Cristóbal de La Laguna City Council to assist in removing dogs from a residence as they were in a dire state.
Seprona officers visited the house, inspected the animals, and found them in poor conditions with fleas, ticks, and other parasites. Some were even afflicted with diseases like scabies.
Despite attempts to persuade the woman to surrender the dogs voluntarily, she barricaded herself inside, leading to the recovery of 10 dogs with some in distressing conditions. These animals were then taken to the Valle Colino regional shelter.
Following the initial intervention and the woman’s resistance, legal proceedings were initiated and forwarded to the Judicial Authority. The request for access to the property to remove the animals and impose a ban on her owning animals was made.
Upon the Court’s approval of the request from the Civil Guard, a collaborative effort involving personnel from San Cristóbal de La Laguna City Council, Valle Colino Shelter staff for animal care, and Civil Guard agents was coordinated to execute the operation.
On July 24, under a court order and with judicial authorization, 26 animals (25 dogs and one cat) were rescued. These animals were in poor health conditions, suffering from malnourishment, parasites, and diseases.
The rescued animals were relocated to the Valle Colino regional shelter, and the woman was detained for disobeying and resisting the authorities. She is now under investigation for continual mistreatment/abandonment of domestic animals and violating a court order, stemming from a prior conviction for animal ownership.
The entire operation faced significant challenges, starting with an administrative action by San Cristóbal de La Laguna City Council. Due to the woman’s reluctance to surrender the dogs voluntarily, a second intervention by the Judicial Authority was necessary to rescue the animals, resulting in the recovery of 35 dogs and one cat.
The Animal Welfare and Municipal Services departments of San Cristóbal de La Laguna City Council worked in close coordination, providing necessary resources for animal transfer, ensuring their well-being, and planning the cleaning and upkeep of areas surrounding the woman’s property.
Following evaluation by the Forensic Doctor assigned to the Court, the suspect was transferred to the appropriate Judicial Authority and subsequently admitted to the University Hospital of the Canary Islands.
This individual had a previous court order disqualifying her from owning animals, issued by a Court in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
