Catalan police solved an animal abuse case using a blood-stained tool matched to a registered horse’s DNA database profile, part of a rising caseload handled by the Mossos d’Esquadra’s Environment division, en.ara.cat reported. The division recorded 231 animal crime cases up to August, building on 251 cases recorded throughout 2025 and 162 cases in 2024.
Penal Code Changes Drive Rising Case Numbers
Sub-inspector Gemma Ribera attributes the increase in registered crimes primarily to a 2023 Penal Code reform and heightened social awareness regarding animal welfare. Prior to the legislative change, regulations mandated that injuries cause serious damage to an animal’s health to constitute a criminal offense. The previous standard relied on broad, subjective legal concepts requiring complex veterinary expert reports and judicial interpretation. The revised wording aligns more closely with assault laws protecting people, establishing that any injury requiring veterinary treatment constitutes a crime.
The 2023 reform also expanded legal protections beyond domestic, companion, or human-custody animals to include all vertebrate animals regardless of whether they live in the wild. Ribera illustrated the previous limitation using a past investigation involving a wild fox in its natural habitat that could not proceed because old regulations excluded wild animals. A subsequent case involving a captured fox locked in a cage and abused met the criteria because the animal was under human custody.
Types of Investigated Crimes and Changing Social Sensitivity
Current investigations span physical aggression, neglect including withheld food or water, abandonment carrying vital risks, death, and vicarious violence where perpetrators injure or kill animals specifically to inflict psychological suffering on a partner. Beyond legal reforms, shifting public perception accounts for the rise in reported offenses. Neighbors and relatives now report behaviors previously considered normal, such as dogs tied up or locked on balconies for extended periods, reflecting a cultural shift where animals are increasingly integrated into urban families.
While urban and rural environments show narrowing differences in animal treatment, distinctions persist. Working animals on farms often live outdoors or appear dirty while maintaining adequate well-being, whereas indoor urban animals receiving little outdoor time can experience worse overall conditions. Dogs and cats account for the majority of investigated cases—noting Barcelona maintains a ratio of one dog for every ten inhabitants—while cases involving horses present unique logistical challenges regarding animal health preservation and emergency relocation.
Officers use welfare guides to evaluate animal physical states
Patrolling public safety officers serve as first responders at locations involving reported animals. Agents utilize a welfare guide designed by the Veterinary College of Catalonia to evaluate physical states—including open wounds, fractures, and dehydration—alongside environmental factors like food, water, cleanliness, and temperature exposure. When custody removal is necessary, City Councils handle standard intakes while the Department of Agriculture coordinates the relocation of large animals like horses.
The Environment Division maintains specialized units across all police regions headquartered in Sabadell, managing complex inquiries and structured criminal networks such as the “Bitxets” operation that rescued more than 400 exploited puppies. Investigators employ forensic methods mirroring homicide cases, conducting necropsies to determine causes of death, ballistics testing for illegal firearms usage, and DNA profiling.
How many animal crime cases have Mossos d'Esquadra recorded recently?
How many animal crime cases have Mossos d’Esquadra recorded recently?
The Mossos d’Esquadra recorded 231 animal crime cases up to August, following 251 cases in 2025 and 162 cases in 2024, according to figures reported by en.ara.cat.
What specific change did the 2023 Penal Code reform introduce?
The reform established that any injury requiring veterinary treatment constitutes a criminal offense, replacing subjective standards of serious health damage and extending legal protection to all vertebrate animals, including those living in the wild.
Which organization designed the welfare indicator guide used by patrolling officers?
The Veterinary College of Catalonia designed the welfare indicator guide utilized by public safety officers to objectively evaluate the physical and environmental conditions of animals during initial responses.
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