Two Brothers Arrested in Elche for Animal Cruelty

Malnutrition, severe injuries, and musculoskeletal deformities were some of the symptoms exhibited by a horse and a donkey found on the ground of an estate in the Matola area of Elche. The equines were so affected that they could not move. Their owners, two brothers, have been arrested by the National Police for alleged animal cruelty, according to police sources.

A patrol from the Local Police of Elche found the equines lying on the ground, with severe musculoskeletal deformities that prevented their mobility. The local officers interviewed the property owners, a brother and sister, who admitted that they were responsible for the animals and that they had never been seen by a vet or a farrier, treatments essential for the health and well-being of the equines.

Subsequently, the officers requested the presence of a specialised veterinarian, who confirmed the animals' severe and chronic injuries. According to the specialist's report, the animals will require lifelong veterinary treatment due to the absolute lack of care required by the owners. Both have been rescued and transferred to an animal shelter.

Following the completion of the necessary investigative procedures by the National Police, the two siblings, a 42-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman, were arrested for the alleged commission of animal cruelty and will have to answer for it before the judicial authority.