Torrevieja Local Police have imposed a record fine of 11,110 euros on a man of Norwegian nationality for animal abuse after he abandoned seven cats on the street. He threw three of them from a first floor balcony while he caused injuries to another by kicking it, to make it run away.
It happened on 18 January in Calle San Emigdio, a central part the town, with the local police alerted to the incident by neighbours. The cats were owned by the tenant of the apartment who had died five days earlier. The Norwegian man was attempting to clear out the apartment prior to reletting it and putting it onto the rental market.
He had already emptied the house of furniture and was attempting to dispose of the animals as expeditiously as possible.
Several neighbours watched the proceedings in astonishment as he cornered a cat with a broom – and pushed it onto the street below, an operation that he repeated with two other cats.
The local policemen were able to find one of the cats which they confirmed was suffering from injuries to it’s head and nose.
On approaching the perpetrator of the animal mistreatment, the man did not respond, claiming that he didn’t understand what the agents wanted.
He has subsequently been fined 1000 euros for each of five cases of not having measures to prevent the animals from escaping and a further 6,050 euros for proven animal abuse of one of the cats.
After several days of searching five of the cats have been recovered and placed in the municipal animal shelter.
