A police operation in the Melipilla commune, specifically in the Mallarauco sector, has brought to light a situation that had been reported for some time by residents and animal rights organizations. Agents from the PDI’s Public Health and Environmental Crimes Investigation Brigade (Bridesma) raided a property where they were found fifteen dogs in extremely precarious conditionswithout the basic care necessary for their survival.
The operation, which involved twenty officials including police officers and veterinarians, followed an investigation that revealed the existence of a illegal breeding in the areaThe animals, of different breeds and ages, showed an evident state of neglect and malnutrition, which led the agents to act immediately in what they described as a flagrant crime of animal abuse.
Critical conditions of animals
Commissioner Francisco Valdenegro, an officer with the Bridesma unit and a veterinarian, was in charge of detailing the condition of the dogs. According to his statements, The dogs suffered from obvious overcrowding and critical conditions.with generalized skin and eye pathologies. Two of the greyhounds were cachectic, that is, in a state of extreme thinness, while the rest presented a very poor body condition.
The area where the animals were kept lacked thermal insulation, leading to widespread hypothermia. Recent rains in the region had further worsened the situation, highlighting the kennel’s structural deficiencies. The water available to the dogs was stagnant and unsanitary, posing a high risk of infectious and parasitic diseases spreading among the canine population.
The makeshift kennels were filled with feces and urine, and the floors and structures were very damp. This situation worsened the animals’ health, as they already showed clear signs of neglect and lack of care from their owner.
Greyhounds trained for illegal races
Among the fifteen rescued dogs, officers identified five greyhounds that were being trained to participate in illegal racesThis practice, which is usually carried out with this breed, is illegal in Chile and is being debated in Congress, where a bill is being processed to explicitly prohibit it.
Commissioner Valdenegro explained that, although greyhounds are naturally slender, in this case bony prominences were visible that shouldn’t be. “Two or three were in very poor body condition, on a scale of 1 to 5, for example, we could put them at a level two, where their ribs and hindquarters were showing,” the officer specified.
In addition to the greyhounds, four cocker spaniels and one dachshund were counted, while the rest were mixed-breed dogs. All of them presented various health problems, although the most serious were concentrated in the greyhounds, who will require a care of greyhounds retired from racing specialized, since they were the ones being subjected to the greatest physical exertion without receiving adequate food or care.
Support from animal rights foundations and arrest of the person responsible
During the operation, two animal protection foundations provided support to the police team. These organizations will be responsible for to house the fifteen dogs temporarily at their facilities, where they will receive veterinary medical care to treat the diagnosed conditions. The immediate goal is to provide temporary shelter for the animals and, subsequently, begin the search for permanent homes for each of them.
The person in charge of the illegal breeding operation was arrested by agents of the Bridesma (Environmental Crimes Brigade) and placed at the disposal of the Melipilla Local Prosecutor’s Office for the alleged crime of animal abuse. According to Commissioner Valdenegro, “The owner was informed of his involvement in the crime of animal abuse and is currently in custody.” The accused will appear before a judge for a detention hearing in the coming hours.
The investigation determined that the crime was committed primarily through negligence, due to the lack of protection for the animals from the cold and rain. Stagnant water, the absence of thermal shelter, and the accumulation of waste in the kennels were some of the factors that evidenced the neglect in which the dogs were found.
The rescued animals will receive veterinary medical care to treat their diagnosed conditions, and animal welfare foundations will coordinate the adoption process once the animals have recovered. This operation is part of a growing concern for animal welfare in Chile, where the fight against animal abuse It has gained strength, and the authorities have intensified operations against this type of illegal practice.
