Animal cruelty trial

Dogs locked in dark cages in sub-zero temperatures

Dark, cramped and cold - this is how the dogs had to eke out their existence.

(Bild: Pfotenhilfe)

During a raid in Gilgenberg (Upper Austria) in early 2023, around 50 dogs and cats were confiscated by the responsible authorities. The animals were said to be in a pitiful condition and were handed over to Pfotenhilfe Lochen. On Monday, three defendants will have to answer for animal cruelty at the regional court in Ried/I.

"The dogs were locked in dark crates and containers in sub-zero temperatures. The condition of the 27 mostly pedigree cats was pitiful. They were hidden in a neighbor's drafty attic in sub-zero temperatures with frozen water and only large chunks of dry dog food and were on the verge of dying of thirst," says Jürgen Stadler, spokesperson for Pfotenhilfe Lochen.

55 animals taken away
He was on site during the raid in early 2023 on a breeder and animal dealer in Gilgenberg, who is said to have been hiding in a box in the attic during the inspection. 55 animals were taken away by the authorities at the time, and many of the dogs and cats have since found homes with "new" families.

Cats were sitting in their own excrement
"The cats had neither toilets nor places to sleep at the breeder's and sat in their own feces among the junk. Their desperate cries were deafening and heartbreaking," says Stadler about the dramatic conditions before the animals were taken in.

More four-legged friends hidden
Many other four-legged friends are said to have been hidden in only partially known locations shortly before the raid. Their whereabouts are still largely unclear. However, some of them are back on site despite a ban on keeping animals, which Pfotenhilfe reported in summer 2024 with photos of evidence.

Trial for cruelty to animals
Next Monday, three defendants will stand trial for cruelty to animals at the regional court in Ried/I., with sentences of up to two years in prison. At the same time, the Salzburg public prosecutor's office is continuing its investigation into serious commercial fraud. Numerous victims have come forward who allegedly bought purebred dogs at inflated prices, which were often seriously ill and turned out to be mixed breeds when genetic tests were carried out.