The courts have stopped an incident of animal maltreatment in a residential area of Villajoyosa. A man who threw a caustic liquid at a dog because it barked at him while he walked by has been fined and barred from doing anything with animals for 16 months.
The victim, who is represented by the animal legal firm Aboganimal, will get 2,500 euros to cover veterinary and moral costs because of what transpired between November 16th and 30th, 2023.
The individual who was found guilty, WBW, used a syringe or something like it to hurl the liquid at “Hans” through the fence of the detached house in the Altabista urbanisation. This produced chemical burns and eye damage that needed veterinary care.
The Villajoyosa court that handled the case said that city cameras were very important in finding the person who did it.
During those two weeks, Han’s owner heard the dog crying loudly, which showed that he was in pain. They also saw that someone had sprayed him with a yellowish liquid that burnt him and ruined the tiles and garden furniture.
The victim said that the convicted man attacked the dog because “he was bothered by Han’s barking as he passed by” and “instead of choosing to change sidewalk, street or attitude,” he decided to hurt the dog.
The decision means that this person has to pay a 4-month fine, be banned from owning and caring for animals for a year and four months, and pay 2,500 euros in civil damages for veterinary bills and moral damages, plus legal interest and court costs. The dog’s owner said, “Seeing Han with burns and that liquid in his hair was terrifying. I couldn’t believe that someone could do something like that out of pure cruelty.”
What the law says
Following the 2023 amendment, the Penal Code of Spain now classifies animal mistreatment as a felony in articles 340 bis and 340 ter.
If someone hurts a pet or an animal that is under human control and needs veterinary care, they could go to jail for three to eighteen months or pay a fine of six to twelve months. They could also be banned from owning or working with animals for one to three years.
If the abuse kills the animal, the punishment goes up to 12 to 24 months in prison, and the disqualification can last up to four years.
According to the new rules, the punishments can be harsher and go up to 36 months in prison in the worst cases, including when there is cruelty or other aggravating factors.
Law 7/2023 on the protection of the rights and welfare of animals sets up a system of administrative offences that can lead to fines of up to 200,000 euros in very serious circumstances.
The sentences may also include a restriction on owning animals for years or a disqualification from working in jobs that involve animals, which would make the law even stronger against cruelty or abandonment.
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