More than a decade after the first complaints, the so-called "breeding ground of horrors" in Melgar de Fernamental is once again at the center of legal news in Burgos. This Tuesday, September 1st, the main defendant is scheduled to finally appear in the dock at Criminal Court Number 2 to answer for a long list of charges related to the ongoing mistreatment of dozens of dogs.
The trial comes after years of inspections by the Seprona (Nature Protection Service of the Civil Guard), complaints from neighbors, administrative proceedings, and rescues by animal welfare organizations, which had long been demanding decisive action. The case has become a symbol of the debate surrounding how government agencies and the justice system respond to serious cases of animal abandonment and cruelty.
A breeding facility under scrutiny since 2013
The story of this breeding facility in Melgar de Fernamental, in the province of Burgos, officially begins in 2013, when the Seprona (Nature Protection Service of the Civil Guard) started monitoring the premises to verify compliance with hygiene, sanitation, and animal welfare regulations. Since then, reports, complaints, and files have accumulated due to repeated deficiencies.
According to the Civil Guard, the center's environmental permit authorized a maximum of 75 dogs , but various inspections revealed as many as 147 animals: 97 adults and 50 puppies, a figure that more than doubled the permitted number. Many were extremely thin, suffered from untreated illnesses, and lacked adequate veterinary care , a fact confirmed by several sources.
Over time, the breeder's negligent practices affected more than just the dogs. Neighbors and residents of the municipality reported widespread filth, persistent odors, accumulated feces mixed with food scraps, and parasite infestations in the area, causing considerable discomfort in the community.
Animal protection organizations, especially Proanbur and Animal Justice and Defense , began to publicize the situation insistently. Their statements, demonstrations, and campaigns sought to ensure the case did not end with mere administrative sanctions and pushed for decisive action against the breeding facility.
Decisive inspections and the role of Seprona
From 2019 onwards, the pressure intensified. That year, the Seprona (Nature Protection Service) of the Civil Guard, accompanied by a veterinarian from the Regional Government of Castile and León , carried out an inspection which again confirmed the serious conditions at the center. Several dogs had to be removed immediately due to their poor health.
During that same period, the poor overall condition of the kennels and the animals was verified , and the breeder was arrested for animal abuse. Initially, four dogs in critical condition were removed from his property. He was later arrested again for fraud in the sale of a dog and once more for continued abuse and neglect on his premises.
The actions didn't stop there. Months after that intervention, further rescues and checks took place, and during the floods of November 2019, several volunteers participated in the evacuation of dozens of dogs to prevent them from becoming trapped in facilities that were already in very poor condition.
All these interventions were part of what the Civil Guard called Operation Chenilbur , a plan that, according to the different sources consulted, marked a turning point in moving from administrative proceedings to a criminal approach to the case.
The dismantling of the breeding facility in 2020
The decisive action took place in February 2020 , when the Civil Guard, acting under a court order, searched several properties linked to the accused: two homes, a farm, and the breeding facility itself. By then, the situation had deteriorated even further, to the point that various reports describe the scene as "shocking."
At the facility, dogs were found crammed together amidst excrement, without sufficient food or water , alongside the carcasses of other animals. Officers also found dog remains in a plastic container being used as a dump, and subsequent necropsies revealed evidence of cannibalism among the animals themselves.
One of the most shocking moments of the operation was the discovery, in a house, of dozens of dogs locked up in appalling conditions and the discovery of dead puppies, including a small one inside a bag in the freezer. The Civil Guard has emphasized that necropsies confirmed that many deaths were linked to total and prolonged neglect.
Overall, the operation resulted in the court-ordered removal of 86 surviving dogs and two cats , animals that were placed under the care of various organizations and foster families. In addition, several previous inspections had identified other dogs in critical condition requiring urgent veterinary care.
Rescue, rehabilitation and the efforts of animal shelters
The closure of the breeding facility didn't end the problem, but rather opened a new chapter focused on the physical and emotional recovery of the surviving animals . Proanbur and other organizations took charge of veterinary care, rehabilitation, and finding homes for the rescued dogs and cats.
The animal shelter in Burgos emphasizes that many of these animals arrived with serious consequences: malnutrition, chronic illnesses, intense fear, and behavioral disorders resulting from years of mistreatment and overcrowding. The recovery of many of them required prolonged treatment and a significant investment of time and resources.
The association emphasizes that it had to cover very high veterinary and maintenance costs for months , largely thanks to the financial support of individuals and the collaboration of veterinary clinics, volunteers, and foster homes. They describe it as an “extraordinary human and financial effort” to give these animals a chance at a dignified life.
At the same time, the case helped mobilize citizens beyond the province of Burgos. Rallies, campaigns denouncing the abuse, and social media outreach made the "breeding ground of horrors" a symbol for demanding changes in the institutional response to animal abuse.
The owner's escape and the international search
As the on-the-ground investigation progressed, the main suspect took a different turn. Just days before the raids in February 2020 , the owner of the breeding facility left Spain, forcing the investigation to shift towards an international search that lasted for more than five years.
The Burgos Court of Instruction number 2 then issued an international arrest and extradition order , and through Interpol a “Red Notice” was issued to request the cooperation of police forces of other countries in locating the fugitive.
The work of Seprona and other units initially located the suspect in a region of Mexico and, years later, in Venezuela. He was finally arrested in Venezuela and, after a lengthy legal and bureaucratic process that lasted more than a year, the Venezuelan authorities extradited him to Spain.
The accused arrived in Spain at the end of February and has been held in pretrial detention ever since to prevent another escape, given his history of fleeing. Animal law experts have emphasized that the issuance of an international arrest warrant in an animal abuse case sets a significant precedent in the prosecution of this type of crime.
The crimes being tried and the criminal records
Identified in the proceedings by his initials, the owner of the breeding farm now faces charges of continued animal abuse in its aggravated form and of concealment of assets or frustration of execution, having allegedly put properties in the name of relatives to evade the action of Justice.
The penalties sought for these offenses can include imprisonment, fines, and a special disqualification from practicing professions, trades, or businesses related to animals, as well as from owning them for an extended period. The Civil Guard had previously requested the revocation of the breeding facility's environmental license and the permanent closure of the premises.
Even before leaving Spain, the accused had a criminal record for assault, practicing without a license, breach of sentence, and animal abuse , according to various court rulings. This record forms part of the context in which the court is now assessing criminal responsibility in the Melgar breeding facility case.
The proceedings that are now beginning represent, in practice, the culmination of more than ten years of complaints, inspections, and legal actions . This hearing is highly anticipated by the participating associations, who have fought to ensure the case did not go unanswered due to the prolonged absence of the main suspect.
A symbol in the fight against animal abuse
For organizations like Proanbur, the importance of this trial goes beyond the accused himself. The association insists that what happened in Melgar de Fernamental should serve to improve coordination between government agencies, law enforcement, and animal protection organizations when serious cases of abandonment or cruelty are detected.
Over the years, the groups involved have demanded a faster, more coordinated, and more effective response to the complaints , emphasizing that warning signs had been accumulating for some time before any definitive measures were taken. For them, the case illustrates the extent to which institutional delays can translate into prolonged suffering for animals.
The associations also remind us that behind the files, figures and actions there are real animals: dogs that suffered hunger, disease, overcrowding and abandonment ; some died without ever being rescued and others, thanks to the final intervention, were able to start a new life in adoptive homes.
With the start of the trial in Burgos, animal shelters, volunteers, and citizens who have followed the case for years are hopeful that the justice system will hold those responsible accountable and send a clear message against animal abuse. At the same time, they insist that the experience in Melgar de Fernamental should spur changes to prevent a similar situation from happening again in the future.
This entire journey, from the first inspections in 2013 to the current trial, has turned the "breeding ground of horrors" into an uncomfortable but necessary reference point: a reminder of what happens when controls fail and what can be achieved when social pressure, the work of animal shelters and judicial action end up converging to rescue the most vulnerable.