Kanagawa Prefectural Police sends a couple to prosecutors on suspicion of neglecting and abusing over 130 pets

Kanagawa Prefectural Police's Yokosuka Minami Police Station announced on the 9th that they had referred a couple living in Saku City, Nagano Prefecture to the public prosecutor's office on suspicion of violating the Animal Welfare Act and the Rabies Prevention Act, for allegedly neglecting and abusing more than 130 pets, including dogs and cats, in a room with dog carcasses and excrement. According to the police, he admitted to the charges, saying, ``The number of animals kept increasing and it became difficult financially, so I left them alone.''

A 52-year-old unemployed man and a 55-year-old woman were referred to prosecutors in June for allegedly abusing dogs and cats by leaving them in an area filled with dog carcasses and excrement at their home in Yokosuka City, where they lived at the time. It is also suspected that 44 dogs were not registered with the mayor of Yokosuka, which is required when owning them, and 17 dogs were not vaccinated against rabies within the specified period.

According to the police, the couple kept 47 dogs, 18 cats, 58 mice, two degus, eight hamsters, and two parakeets in their house.

The incident was discovered on July 9th when the city animal welfare center provided information to the police station. When staff entered the building, the windows were closed and the carcasses of two dogs and their excrement had been left behind.

On the 24th, an animal welfare volunteer group also filed a complaint with the police station for allegedly violating the Animal Welfare Act.