Matosinhos Court acquits suspects in Santo Tirso animal death case

The Matosinhos Court has acquitted five defendants accused of over 200 crimes related to animal cruelty and abandonment following a July 2020 wildfire in Santo Tirso. The fire, which occurred in the Serra da Agrela region, resulted in the deaths of 93 dogs and cats at two illegal animal shelters.

The defendants included a former municipal veterinarian, a former municipal Civil Protection coordinator, and two owners of the ‘Cantinho das 4 Patas’ shelter. The prosecution had alleged that the defendants were responsible for animal mistreatment, abandonment, and abuse of power.

In the ruling, the presiding judge stated that it was not proven that the defendants acted with the knowledge that they were causing suffering or that they acquiesced to the animals' distress. While the court noted that the shelter owners were ‘careless and reckless’ for housing animals in poor conditions, the judge clarified that these actions did not meet the legal criteria for the specific crimes charged. Additionally, the court found that the municipal officials involved did not have the authority to order the evacuation of the shelters during the fire.