The Local Police of Sant Antoni went yesterday to the home where Lía, the dog allegedly mistreated by her owners, was living, after a neighbour filed a new complaint with the Guardia Civil for animal mistreatment.
“The owner decided to sign a voluntary transfer of the animal to the representative of an animal welfare association,” says the official communication of the City Council of Sant Antoni, who pledged on social networks to keep the public informed of this case due to the great media coverage it has had.
Lía’s story begins now a year agowhen the Local Police of Sant Antoni took her out of the house where she lived with her owners for an alleged case of animal abuse. Since then, the animal has been living in a temporary shelter, “where she received the attention and affection she needed” until now, as explained by the Foundation Against Animal Abuse, which has followed this case closely and made an appeal on social networks asking for citizen collaboration to ensure the welfare of the dog. The foundation published recent images showing the animal tied up and muzzled on the same terrace where last year’s images were captured.
As they explained, in October, the justice system ordered the return of Lía to her owners and the dog “has returned to live in the same conditions of abandonment and mistreatment that led her to be rescued.” “In recent weeks, her state of health has worsened considerably,” they publicly denounced before continuing: “The dog is living on a terrace of an apartment in the center of Sant Antoni. She does not have access to an adequate indoor space, nor to an outdoor space where she can exercise and socialize“. Reasons why they asked the Animal Welfare of Sant Antoni “the immediate removal of Lía from the home and the adoption of the animal by a shelter or animal protection organization that guarantees its welfare”. In addition, they asked citizens to report the situation to the City Council.
Denouncement in 2022
The first facts that could constitute a complaint occurred in August 2022. At that time, however, “according to Law 1/1992, of April 8, on the Protection of Animals living in the human environment, and the data available to the City Council”, it was not possible to verify mistreatment of the animal, but it was possible to act in terms of administrative infractions, and the owner of Lía lacked the license for the possession of Potentially Dangerous Dogs (PPP). When she obtained it, in February 2023, “the animal was returned to its owner,” explained the City Council, which explained that since then “periodic inspections have been carried out” by both the technicians of the City Council and the Local Police of Sant Antoni. Specifically, from February 2023 to November 10, 2023, four inspections have been made. In the first three inspections, no signs of mistreatment or aspects subject to administrative sanctions were detected. However, in this last inspection it was verified that the muzzle was placed and that the terrace is the usual space for the animal.
With the entry into force last September of the new Law for the Protection of the rights and welfare of animals, these behaviors are typified as infractions and the City Council of Sant Antoni assured that it was working on the resolution of the same under this rule. In fact, the corresponding sanctioning proceedings have already been initiated.
The City Council requested the collaboration of veterinary officers of the Consell de Ibiza and stated that a fifth inspection was being scheduled with external means and Local Police to verify the state in which Lía was found. The City Council defended that it was carrying out an “exhaustive follow-up” of this case for months “and taking the appropriate measures according to the current regulations”.
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