Fines ranging from €2,000 to €8,000 for animal abuse and neglect were handed out on Thursday by the Brussels Correctional Court.
Two people were banned from owning animals for three years, while another received a lifetime ban.
A man in his 40s from Grimbergen (Flemish Brabant) was fined €8,000, half of which was suspended, for neglecting two draft horses. In June 2023, police found the horses in poor condition following multiple reports, and the animals were taken to a shelter where their condition improved. Three months later, during another inspection, new well-cared-for animals were found on his property.
A woman from Dilbeek (Flemish Brabant) was fined €4,000, half of which was suspended, and banned from owning animals for three years. Inspections found numerous animals living in deplorable conditions, leading to their seizure.
Another woman from Biévène (Flemish Brabant) was fined €8,000, with three-quarters suspended, and banned from owning animals for three years for animal neglect. Inspectors discovered 18 Chihuahuas living in unsanitary conditions.
Lastly, a man from Dilbeek was fined €2,000 and given a lifetime ban from owning animals. Dogs found living in poor conditions at his home led the court to conclude that he was no longer physically capable of caring for them.
