This Tuesday, September 1, at 9:30 a.m., the oral hearing against the main accused in the so-called 'breeding ground of horrors' of Melgar de Fernamental (Burgos), identified by the initials D.O., extradited from Venezuela last February after being in an unknown location since 2020, will begin at the Courts of Burgos.
The events date back to 2013 and, over the years, there were official inspections, warnings, and complaints about the poor hygienic-sanitary conditions and animal welfare at the breeding ground located in Melgar de Fernamental.
The Seprona managed to accumulate numerous complaints, and animal protection organizations, especially Proanbur and Justicia y Defensa Animal, made the situation public and persistently demanded decisive action to end the suffering of the animals.
In July 2019, an inspection by the Seprona along with a veterinarian from the Junta again confirmed the seriousness of the situation, to the point that several dogs had to be immediately removed due to their delicate health condition.
During that visit, a number of animals far exceeding the authorized limit for the center were detected, and in the following months, new actions and rescues were carried out. During the floods in November 2019, volunteers also assisted in the evacuation of dozens of dogs from the site.
The dismantling of the breeding ground
The definitive action took place in February 2020, as part of the so-called Operation Chenilbur by the Civil Guard. The searches carried out on properties linked to the breeding ground uncovered a "shocking" reality, Proanbur explained through a statement collected by Europa Press.
In the facilities, dead animals, remains of corpses, and dogs still alive in a state of extreme abandonment were found. In one house, dozens of dogs were found crowded among excrement, without the minimum conditions of hygiene, as well as deceased puppies, one of them inside a bag in a freezer.
The subsequent investigations and necropsies confirmed the severe neglect that the animals had suffered.
In total, the judicial intervention allowed for the removal of 86 surviving dogs and two cats, who were able to start a new chapter thanks to the efforts of shelters and volunteers.
An international fugitive for more than five years
When the Civil Guard carried out the searches in February 2020, the main suspect had already left the country a few days earlier.
The Investigating Court number 2 of Burgos then issued an international arrest and extradition order, while the investigation continued its track outside of Spain.
Finally, he was located and arrested in Venezuela and, after the corresponding international procedure, he was handed over to the Spanish authorities in February 2026 to be tried.
The issuance of an international arrest order in a case of animal mistreatment has been emphasized by experts in Animal Law as a relevant precedent in the prosecution of this type of crime.
A trial awaited for years
The hearing that begins this Tuesday represents the culmination of a process opened more than ten years ago, marked by multiple complaints, inspections, rescues, judicial actions, citizen mobilizations, and the constant work of associations and volunteers.
But, above all, behind this case were specific animals: dogs that suffered hunger, diseases, overcrowding, and abandonment; animals that died and many others that managed to survive and start a new life.