After finding 44 mistreated dogs: animal abusers now in custody

In addition to the dogs, which had probably been abused for illegal dog fights, the authorities found weapons and drugs during a house search on the 45-year-old owner.

Ansfelden – After the discovery of 44 badly abused dogs in a house in Ansfelden (the TT reported) the public prosecutor’s office imposed pre-trial detention on the owner of the animals on Sunday afternoon. Numerous weapons and a large quantity of narcotic drugs were also found in his house.

📽 Videos | Animal abuser severely abused 44 dogs

Animal rescuer Harald Hofner from the animal paradise Schabenreith speaks to him ORF of “sheer horror” at the sight of the emaciated and injured animals housed in cages in a dark basement. The animals were emaciated, without water and without food. According to found video recordings, they were abused for illegal dog fights. The animals were distributed to various animal protection facilities in Upper Austria.

According to the Linz public prosecutor’s office, 26 firearms with 51 magazines and over 8,500 pieces of ammunition, counterfeit money, Nazi memorabilia and various drugs were found during the house search. On Sunday, the public prosecutor’s office in Linz therefore requested that the suspected 45-year-old man be remanded in custody. This was imposed on Sunday afternoon.

The homeowner refused to testify when questioned. The dogs “were kept in small cages with spiked collars in dark basement rooms,” said a police spokeswoman. After the house was searched, they were handed over to animal protection organizations.

The animals were “extremely intimidated, completely emaciated and dehydrated and full of faeces. They have different types of parasites, sometimes hardly any fur, eczema and other skin diseases,” said Johanna Stadler from Pfotenhilfe in Lochen. Some dogs had “completely dirty, rusty and much too tight collars, which were even partially ingrown”. (TT.com/APA)

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