Cologne shocked: Neighbor reports horrific animal cruelty!

Cologne shocked: Neighbor reports horrific animal cruelty!

In Cologne, a 45-year-old man from Kalk is currently being charged with animal cruelty in the district court. The accusation is serious: A neighbor informed the police after she heard the defendant's one-and-a-half-year-old Belgian Shepherd dog "squealing" in pain and was able to observe the man kicking the dog on December 1, 2024. This violence is documented in the indictment with multiple kicks to the animal's ribs and hips, which resulted in the animal suffering considerable pain and "yelping." reports the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.

The situation escalated when the animal was found in a bare, cold room. During the search on December 2nd, the police discovered that the dog only had a crumpled blanket and food bowls without food or water. The defendant explained that he locked the dog in the room to prevent damage to his apartment. But a police officer made it clear that dogs that need a lot of exercise have no place in such an attitude. “The animal appeared very tense,” it was noted to be removed.

The fates of other dogs

The incidents surrounding the dog are not the only alarming cases of animal cruelty in Cologne. In January, more than 30 dogs and nine dead animals were found on a badly neglected property in Rath-Heumar as reported by the wildlife. This worrying incident stemmed from a tip from a local resident who reported the suffering of a neglected dog.

The action that was then initiated by animal rescue employees and police and fire departments resulted in devastating conditions, with many dogs extremely emaciated and in a deplorable condition. Some of the rescued dogs have already been placed in animal shelters in Cologne, where they are now waiting for a new home. One of these dogs, Erna, has now even found a new home reports the animal world.

Sentences and reactions

In the case of the dogs neglected in Rath-Heumar, a verdict was passed against the former owners in absentia after they failed to appear at the trial. They were sentenced to one year's probation and a three-year ban on keeping animals. Her defense attorney argued that the case had grown beyond her clients' original intentions because they only wanted to help. However, the Cologne Veterinary Office had already carried out checks on the property twice in the past without finding any clear animal cruelty complements the wildlife.

For the defendant in the current proceedings and for the fate of animals in Cologne, it is clear: we have to watch over the well-being of our four-legged friends. It is urgently time to keep a close eye on the issue of animal husbandry so that such scandals and tragic fates do not become the norm as Ananova also notes.

The trial continues on July 18, where exonerating witnesses for the defendant will be heard. Until then, the question remains as to how our society wants to deal with the issue of animal protection and what consequences appear increasingly necessary for animal abusers.