Patras court sentences couple to five years for dog torture

A couple has been sentenced to five years in prison by the Patras Court of Appeals for the torture of an English Setter. The case dates back to 2021, when the dog disappeared from its original owner's home and ended up in the possession of the defendants.

According to court findings, the couple mutilated the animal by cutting off its tail and dyeing its fur black to prevent identification. In addition to the prison sentence, which is suspended pending appeal, each defendant was ordered to pay a fine of 5,000 euros. Administrative fines ranging from 30,000 to 50,000 euros per person are also being processed.

The abuse was uncovered through a discrepancy in electronic microchip identification. While the couple had a veterinarian issue a new microchip and health booklet under the woman's name, a subsequent medical examination revealed the animal's original microchip, which contained the true owner's information.