More than five years after a podenco (a Spanish hunting hound) was hanged and thrown into a ravine in Almogía (Málaga) for allegedly being “no good for hunting”, the two defendants have accepted a sentence of 12 months and one day in prison for animal abuse with the aggravating circumstance of cruelty.
The events took place on February 6, 2021, in the area known as El Madroño, in Almogía (Málaga), when a witness saw two men begin hanging the animal from the branch of an olive tree. According to the investigation, the dog's body was later thrown over a hard-to-reach cliff.
The case, which sparked widespread public outrage after it emerged that the defendants justified killing the animal by claiming it was “no good for hunting”, was resolved through a plea agreement between the parties before the trial took place.
The private prosecution pushed the sentence above one year in prison
The Public Prosecutor's Office initially sought an 11-month prison sentence, along with a four-year professional disqualification and a ban on owning or working with animals.
For its part, the private prosecution led by AnimaNaturalis sought a harsher sentence: 18 months in prison, application of the aggravating circumstance of cruelty, and a four-year ban on the same terms requested by the Public Prosecutor.
In the end, the agreement reached kept the aggravating circumstance of cruelty and raised the Prosecutor's initial request to 12 months and one day in prison, matching the sentence sought by the private prosecution after the agreed reduction.
The maximum four-year ban on activities involving animals also remains in place.
They will not go to prison, as they have no criminal record
One of the decisive factors in reaching the agreement was that neither defendant had a prior criminal record. This meant that, even if convicted within the range being sought —between 11 and 18 months in prison—, they would not have been sent to prison under current criminal law. However, the suspension of the prison sentence is conditional on the mandatory completion of an animal welfare awareness course.
Violence against hunting dogs remains normalized
Aïda Gascón, director of AnimaNaturalis in Spain, has stated that this case “reflects a reality that remains deeply normalized in the world of hunting: animals treated as disposable tools once they stop being useful”.
“It is important that the aggravating circumstance of cruelty and the maximum ban have been upheld, because it recognizes the extreme seriousness of the facts. But it also shows that there is still a long way to go before the justice system responds firmly to violence against animals”, she adds.
Hunting continues to leave invisible victims
The case once again puts the spotlight on the plight of thousands of dogs used for hunting in Spain, especially podencos and galgos (Spanish greyhounds), who continue to be treated as expendable tools once they are no longer useful.
At AnimaNaturalis, we remind everyone that no animal should be exploited, abandoned or killed because of its performance. Violence against hunting dogs is not made up of isolated cases, but is the consequence of a culture that still sees animals as resources at the service of humans.
Help us keep speaking out against animal abuse
AnimaNaturalis' work as a private prosecution in animal abuse cases is possible thanks to the support of people committed to defending animals.
Become a member of AnimaNaturalis or make a donation so that we can keep bringing these cases before the courts and demanding real change for animals.
Your help is also essential to raise awareness of the situation facing thousands of dogs used for hunting in Spain. Sign and share the SaveHuntingDogs.org campaign and help us keep exposing a form of violence that continues to be systematically overlooked.
