Corpses of 250 animals found with survivors eating the dead in “breeding ground of horror” in Spain

Spanish police on Saturday said they made an arrest after finding 250 dead animals, mostly dogs, in a filthy warehouse that local media dubbed “the breeding ground of horror.” 

The Civil Guard said the illegal site in the northwestern village of Meson do Vento had “extremely poor” hygiene and animal welfare conditions, with cages “totally covered in excrement.”

The dead animals, which included 28 chihuahuas and birds, were “in different stages of decomposition, some even mummified,” the force said in a statement.

The Civil Guard saved 171 other animals, including exotic and protected bird species such as macaws and cockatoos, which were found in a life-threatening condition.

The survivors were feeding off the dead animals due to the lack of food and water, authorities said.

Police released images of officers tending to the rescued animals. The surviving animals were “relocated to appropriate centers for their recovery and well-being,” police said.

The site manager was arrested on charges of animal abuse, illegal possession of protected species and unqualified veterinary practice.

The Civil Guard also said authorities found a large stockpile of professional veterinary medicines and supplies that were unprescribed and mostly expired.

In recent months, Spanish authorities have uncovered illegal animal trafficking rings. In August, two men were found with more than 150 exotic animals at an illegal pet store in the town of Nules. In April, officers dismantled an online trafficking operation in big cats, including white tigers, lynx and pumas, in the Balearic Islands.