Police rescue 230 dogs from fighting ring in Tenerife

THE police have broken up a criminal group which allegedly organised dog fights in Tenerife and Madrid, saving 230 dogs in the process.

The operation, authorised by a Torrejon de Ardoz court, led to 23 arrests and 10 people have been charged with various crimes including animal cruelty and belonging to a criminal group.

The arrests were made when police officers stormed a country property in Tenerife where a large fight, referred to by those in attendance as a championship, had been organised. A ring had been set up for the fights and many dogs’ bodies were found in a nearby ravine. The fighting dogs, all pitbulls, had been stolen and their microchips had been removed.

Along with those believed to make up the group itself, a Local Police officer and a vet suspected of administering drugs to the dogs were also arrested.