Seventy dogs were recently rescued from the Municipal Kennel of Vila Nova de Foz Côa and distributed among MIDAS, Santuário Animal Vida Boa, and the Núcleo de Intervenção e Resgate Animal (IRA). The Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF) confirmed the rescue operation is under investigation by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
This operation was spearheaded by the GNR’s Environmental Crime and Administrative Offenses Investigation Unit (NICCOA), in collaboration with the ICNF, to address complaints of animal mistreatment.
Following the operation, the GNR reported that the ICNF ordered the closure of the kennel due to licensing issues, and the animals were relocated to various shelters.
The president of IRA, Tomás Pires, stated today that 39 of the dogs they have taken in are stable and recovering under veterinary care. “Our 39 animals are currently stabilized, recovering, and improving. They are being monitored and assessed by our veterinarians,” Pires told the agency.
Pires noted that among the 70 rescued dogs, one under the care of another shelter had died. He also highlighted that there are pregnant females, animals severely parasitized, and others weakened by tick fever, anemia, and various clinical issues.
The Veterinary Hospital of the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (HVUTAD) in Vila Real has admitted 13 of these animals for treatment and sterilization. “We were asked to provide a quick clinical assessment to determine their general health state, deworm them, given their poor condition, and perform sterilization procedures,” explained Filipe Silva, director of HVTMAD.
Silva added that the dogs arrived at UTAD on Friday, with many veterinarians participating in the operation. Post-treatment and sterilization, these 13 animals were transferred to Santuário Vida Boa for further recovery and future adoption.
Tomás Pires disputed statements made by the Mayor of Vila Nova de Foz Côa, João Paulo Sousa, who claimed 50,000 euros had been spent on the kennel and a sterilization process for the dogs was underway. Pires questioned why the municipality has not contacted any of the shelters involved in the rescue, given their purported commitment to animal welfare.
João Paulo Sousa remarked to Lusa, “I had no idea if the kennel was illegal or not,” and acknowledged that the kennel is municipal, suggesting the outdated operational rules made compliance with new regulations challenging without recent efforts to legalize it. The municipality has committed to providing additional information later.
