A man from Orihuela has appeared in court charged with animal abuse. The animal welfare group Asoka reported the case to the police after finding the German Shepherd in a shocking state of malnourishment and dehydration.
The owner had called the charity claiming that the dog wasn´t his, but had sneaked onto his property – but this was found to be a lie. The RIVIA, the Valencian Computer Registry of Animal Identification, confirmed that the pet was not listed as a disappearance. So, given the poor physical condition of the pet and the suspicion that the animal was owned by the caller himself, and being faced with a possible case of animal abuse, the microchip was checked. The owner of the dog, which is about 8 years old, was the man who had called claiming that the dog was not his. Officers wen to the property, rescued the animal and arrested the owner.
Despite the fact that the court case has been postponed until March, Asoka Orihuela is celebrating that the complaint has gone to court and encourage people to report any type of animal abuse or neglect if they witness it.