Hunters in Malaga are furious and ‘heartbroken’ after thieves stole 45 of their dogs from a rural property.
The kennels belonged to the Asociacion de Cazadores Federados de Malaga (Association of Registered Hunters in Malaga), which were raided in the early hours of Monday morning.
Among the victims is Miguel Gaspar, who told Diario Sur how he lost every single one of his dogs.
‘They’ve taken all of mine, seven in total. I raised them from when they were small, with so much hope,’ he said.
Miguel said he first heard about the break-in while having coffee at a local bar, and that he immediately drove to the association’s finca, where he was met with a devastating scene.
He recalled: ‘As soon as I arrived, I saw two brothers crying. They’d had seven dogs stolen each as well.’
When he reached his own kennel, he found the gate open and the padlock broken, while 11 other kennels had also been forced open.
‘There was no trace of the dogs. I still haven’t processed it,’ he said.
Several members of the association believe the theft may not have been random, and suspect the culprits may have had knowledge of the premises.
At the very least, they believe the raid was carefully prepared and specific dogs were targeted – given that one kennel was opened but none of the dogs were taken.
The mystery thieves also stole equipment used for the maintenance and training of the dogs.
The case has been reported to the Policia Nacional, who are now investigating.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
