Deurne breeder tries to hide 120 neglected dogs on abandoned lot

The National Inspectorate for Animal Protection (LID) confiscated almost 120 dogs from a breeder in Deurne. The Inspectorate previously threatened the breeder with a sanction if he did not take better care of his dogs. According to a LID spokesperson, the man took all the dogs from his yard to an abandoned site 200 meters away during the night from Sunday to Monday. He tried to hide the dogs in barns on the abandoned site, the LID said on Friday.

Witnesses saw the breeder drive back and forth all Sunday night to take the dogs from his yard to the abandoned lot. The police got wind of it, went to take a look, and called in the LID. The LID confiscated all the animals. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency will charge the breeder with all the costs for transport and (medical) care. An official report will also be filed against the man.

Inspectors visited the breeder on two other occasions in which they took away a large number of sick and neglected dogs. The man was given a few weeks to improve the living environment for the other dogs, and to get their health in order as quickly as possible. That period expired this week, which led to another check.

The breeder tried to escape detection by hiding the animals, according to the inspection. Most of the animals appeared to be in bad shape during an inspection of the barns.

The four-legged animals included some who were very pregnant and others who were nursing, but the inspection showed they were left without water and food. Inspectors found several nursing puppies, three to four weeks old, separated from their mothers in a cage.

Some animals were locked up in cramped crates meant for cats. Many dogs had matted coats. Some had bald patches from mange and were injured from fighting among themselves. Some animals also suffered from serious intestinal infections.

The breeder has been in the sights of the inspection service for some time. He previously had breeding farms in the municipalities of Veldhoven, Overbetuwe, and Stein. He would disappear below the radar whenever the threat of administrative measures or the threat of prosecution appeared on the horizon. He would then reappear elsewhere.