Spanish Police Rescued 230 Dogs That Were Used In Fights

We at My Animals do not tire of saying that dogfighting is one of the most horrific forms of animal abuse. And that everything that is done to avoid this illegal business is never enough. Therefore, it  is important to know that the Spanish police rescued 230 dogs that were used in fights to the death.

With operations in several parts of Spain, the police rescued 230 dogs used in fights

The recovered animals, all of which are considered potentially dangerous under Spanish legislation, were sent to protective associations and official bodies.

But the operation, carried out by members of the National Police and dubbed Chase , also led to the arrest of 34 people in different parts of Spain:

• Tenerife

• Madrid
• Murcia
• Alicante

As far as it was possible to find out, the organizers of this cruel activity planned to hold four meetings in Tenerife. The agents arrived at the place just as, in a newly set up ring, what they believed to be the first fight was being fought. Upon entering the site, they found two dogs fighting to the death. One of the animals was seriously injured and had to be attended to at the time by the police.

Dogfighting and other crimes

With the police operation, a large criminal network was discovered where dog fights were interconnected with drug trafficking and money laundering, nationally and internationally. Investigators point out that the criminals took part in feuds abroad, through an illegal league identified as RAFA.

The bandits had a very sophisticated system of organization. During phone conversations, for example, they used jargon to avoid being discovered. They used terms such as:

• Private party or convention , in relation to the amount of fights, punters and spectators.
• Contract , to determine the place and economic conditions.
• Champion , as a way to identify a dog that won three fights, and  great champion for the one that triumphed in five.

The suffering of fighting dogs

All fights organized by these criminals resulted in death. And describing the ordeal that dogs that are trained and used in this macabre business go through can cause chills.

A particularly somber detail is the carrying out of a “baptism fight”. It is carried out to check if an animal, even if it is just a puppy, is suitable for this type of activity. It goes without saying that, in most cases, puppies die during the confrontation or are then euthanized.

In addition, they discovered that criminals were dedicated to stealing dogs with the aim of using them as “sparring”. This means that the poor little animals were used to train the dogs that would face each other in fights.

a horror story

In the 17 house searches in which the police rescued 230 dogs, the following were also found:

• Specific and extreme training systems for dogs
• Different substances that were given to animals (anabolics, testosterone, hormones, diuretics)
• Material for euthanasia

But perhaps most sinister was the discovery of an indeterminate number of dog corpses.

Now it ‘s time for the difficult task of recovering the survivors of this true hell. It is not easy to make them understand that there are good-hearted people who only want their well-being.

Waiting for the punishment of criminals

The investigation began in September 2016, after a protective association provided information regarding a person who was involved in this illegal activity outside Madrid.

During operations, the following were also seized:

• Weapons (a pistol and a revolver)
• 800 marijuana seedlings
• 4 kg of dry marijuana
• 40 grams of cocaine
•  grams of hash
•  30 thousand euros

Those arrested during Operation Chase face charges for a variety of offenses, including:

• criminal organization
• Animal abuse continuously
• Traffic in narcotics and illegal medicines
• Money laundry

We hope that, as soon as possible, they will receive the highest possible sentences in each of these cases.