Target: Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Minister of the Interior of Spain
Goal: Curb illegal pet trade and animal mistreatment.
Recent collaborative efforts among Spain’s four police forces unveiled an extensive illegal trade network responsible for animal mistreatment, labor violations, and fraud. Unfolding on September 20, the crackdown involved the National Police, Guardia Civil, Mossos d’Esquadra, and Barcelona Urban Police. They arrested 13 individuals and exposed an operation with tentacles reaching from Eastern Europe to Madrid, Barcelona, Andorra, and beyond. Illegal activities in this network reportedly included fraudulent documentation and money laundering, with assets stashed in locations ranging from Spain to Dubai.
This initiative also revealed a complex trade structure with multiple related businesses employing similar illegal tactics to sell animals online. Multiple agencies, such as Veterinary Colleges and Animal Protection Offices from different regions, had to intervene to provide temporary custody and care for hundreds of rescued animals.
Originating from complaints dating back to late 2020 about the health of animals sold in Barcelona, investigators have now unearthed an even broader operation involving severe animal mistreatment and fraud. It’s time to take immediate action.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Fernando Grande-Marlaska,
We express profound concern and indignation regarding Spain’s illegal pet trade and related animal mistreatment. The recent police operation has shown that current regulations fail to address the scope and complexity of these illicit activities adequately.
We urgently call upon you to establish stricter regulatory measures aimed at dismantling such unscrupulous trade networks. Resources must be allocated judiciously for ongoing investigations, vigilant surveillance, and enforcement of new, stringent regulations.
It remains crucial for the concerned citizens of Spain to see decisive action taken against those perpetrating these acts of severe animal mistreatment and fraud. Such deeds ought to find no sanctuary; justice must indeed be executed without fail.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Soggydan Benenovitch
Why doesn’t any one have the actual balls to DO SOMETHING AND FOLLOW UP!!!
Spain is a well respected country. However illegal trade of wild animals can no longer be tolerated. Climate change, loss of habitat and food sources, have placed animals in a tough position in which poachers take advantage. I think poaching needs to face a death sentence or life in prison. This is a just punishment for those who, for money, steal from the entire earth when they take animals that obviously do not belong to them. They take from all countries, not just Spain. If we want the earth to live on we must protect wild animals in their habitats, not on a list of illegal poaching.
Spain is a beautiful country but it is full of horrific animal abuse of all kinds. If Spain wants to be a favored tourist spot and a respected country then they need to take the extreme abuse of animals off the table and close down trafficking rings and poaching and animal abuse in general. From the running of the bulls to poaching wildlife, Spain is full of hate and abuse for animals and they need to move into the 21st century sooner, not later, but now.
Spain needs to stop the damn bull fights to if they stopping everything else