Two Malaga hunters convicted of killing dog by hanging

Animal abuse

The defendants can avoid the one-year prison sentence on the condition that they complete an animal awareness course

Ignacio Lillo

A court in Malaga province has convicted two hunting enthusiasts of intentionally killing a podenco dog by "hanging it from an olive tree branch" in the municipality of Almogía on 6 February 2021.

The defendants can avoid serving one year in prison if they complete an animal awareness course.

The incident happened at approximately 2pm, when the accused transported the dog, named Acollarado, aboard a vehicle to the El Romeral property. The court has ruled that their intention was to "end the animal's life".

The Guardia Civil managed to arrest both of them shortly after the incident, following a report from a passerby.

The animal protection society of Malaga province and the Andalusian hunting federation have both participated in the case as private prosecutors.

The court ruling classifies the incident as constituting a crime of animal abuse, applying the aggravating circumstance of cruelty. The sentence has condemned each defendant to 12 months and one day in prison.

It has also barred them from practising any profession, trade or business related to animals. In addition, the defendants cannot own animals for a period of four years.

Sentence suspension

The court has agreed to suspend the prison sentences for a period of two years. This is conditional upon them not committing any further offences during the specified period and completing an animal protection awareness course.

The private prosecution sought an 18-month prison sentence and a four-year ban from public office, while the public prosecutor requested eleven months. Ultimately, the parties reached an agreement. The sentence is final.

Animal rights party Pacma, which acted as a private prosecutor on behalf of a dozen animal shelters (including the one in Malaga), stated that the defendants had not only hung the podenco (Ibizan hound) but also thrown it off a cliff because "it was no longer useful for hunting".

According to the sentence, the defendants watched the dog agonise, "while laughing and drinking beer", as the witness who reported the incident said.

President of the Malaga animal shelter Carmen Manzano hopes this sentence will serve as an example for future cases. She stressed the importance of the animal welfare course.

"It is upsetting to see how insufficient the penal code is, but despite this we celebrate that convictions of animal abuse are becoming more common and that crimes do not go unpunished," she said.

Pacma has stated that this ruling, although insufficient due to the seriousness of the crime, represents "an important step forward" in the prosecution of animal abuse, especially in cases linked to hunting. For the organisation, it is important that the justice system recognise animal cruelty.

The Andalusian hunting federation (FAC) considers its participation as a private prosecutor in the trial to have been key in securing the conviction. The one-year prison sentence matches the recommendation of the legal team. The defendants will have their hunting licences revoked.

"The Andalusian hunting federation publicly expresses its condemnation of this type of criminal behaviour. Being a hunter requires compliance with the law at all times and a commitment to a code of ethics and values of a group dedicated to the well-being of their dogs, without whom hunting would be meaningless."

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