Investigation opened after the alleged poisoning of nearly 50 cats

Spanish police opened on Thursday an investigation into the alleged poisoning of nearly 50 cats, a criminal offense which could earn its perpetrators several years in prison.

The incident took place in the village of La Carlota, located near Córdoba, in the south of the country, where residents discovered the bodies of at least ten stray cats in a local dump on December 31.

Alerted, the Pacma animal rights party filed a complaint with the Civil Guard for “the massive poisoning of a group of 47 cats”, which some of its members had been caring for for several years.

“Some animals were found inside nearby containers, some were lying in the street,” indicates the complaint, which AFP was able to consult.

According to Pacma, only a young male cat was found alive, but “in very poor condition”. The other cat members of the group whose bodies were not found have disappeared.

According to a spokesperson for the association, they probably died in the surrounding woods after being poisoned. Agents from the Civil Guard nature protection service were dispatched to the scene on Wednesday.