A WOMAN who left her dog tied up on a Torrevieja rooftop terrace during scorching heat will not be jailed after accepting a suspended sentence in a plea bargain deal.
Maikel died in August 2022 after suffering heatstroke which subsequently resulted in fatal internal bleeding.
The incident at the time brought strong condemnation from animal rights groups as well as the general public.
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The outrage was fuelled by the release of images showing Maikel’s agonising state before he died.
There was added controversy when Torrevieja’s Animal Protection department and the Policia Local did not initially respond to complaints by worried neighbours.
A private prosecution was due to be heard in an Orihuela court on Thursday but the parties reached an agreement that vacated the need for a trial.
The case was initiated by the Foundation for Advice and Action in Defence of Animals(FAADA) and the Animalist Party(PACMA).
Under the plea deal, the woman has accepted a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
She is also banned from all activities for four years that are linked to animals, including owning a pet.
The indictment filed by FAADA and PACMA said that the owner kept Maikel ‘tied up on a sun terrace during the hottest hours’ which then led to his death.
A joint statement said that though the final punishment was ‘insufficient’, it was nevertheless ‘fundamental in prosecuting instances of animal abuse’.
They stressed the importance of such cases reaching court and ending with a criminal response.
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