Dozens of stolen hunting dogs rescued as gang arrested

Dozens of stolen hunting dogs have been rescued as police make several arrests.

FOUR people have been detained for the alleged crimes of robbery with force, animal abuse, animal abandonment, falsification of documents and belonging to a criminal organisation.

A vet is under investigation on suspicion of implanting new chips in the stolen dogs and making new passports and identification cards without registering them on the Valencian Computer Registry of Animal Identification (RIVIA).

The arrests follow an operation in which at least 32 dogs – worth around €50,000 according to the Guardia Civil – were discovered, many “with wounds”.

They are believed to have been stolen in the provinces of Valencia, Castellon and Albacete.

“The dogs had several deep cuts for the extraction of the chips, with the risk of infections that could cause death,” said the police in a statement.

Along with the dogs, officers recovered 48 dog breed identification cards and 32 passports, as well as three shotguns and a rifle.

‘Operation Jascan’ began at the beginning of September 2020, following two complaints of robberies with force of hunting dogs in the towns of Llanera de Ranes and L’Enova.

Further thefts of dogs in Almansa (Albacete), and Barracas (Castellon).

“Members of the network posted advertisements selling the abducted dogs on internet buying and selling pages.

“Once the purchase was made, they sent the animals to different parts of the national territory through a transport company with a pet shipping service, with a new chip implanted, as well as issued a new passport issued by a veterinarian,” added the Guardia Civil.

The investigation continues.

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