A couple from Lanaken, Limburg province, has been fined €2,800 for neglecting about 100 dogs.
The pair had adopted dogs from a puppy farm in 2022 and despite being allowed to take in only ten, they took in several dozen under pressure from the breeder.
Local residents alerted the police, and dozens of animals were seized in February 2022. “There was an unbearable stench, the floor was covered in excrement and a strong smell of ammonia pervaded the house,” said Lanaken’s legal representative, Me Klingeleers.
In court, the couple defended themselves, insisting they had done their utmost to keep their home clean.
The dogs were temporarily moved to a shelter and placed under the care of Lanaken municipality. This cost more than €100,000.
Thanks to many donations, the debt has been reduced to €67,000, which the municipality claimed from the couple.
