21-year-old arrested after police discover dozens of dead animals in shed

Police in Winschoten, Groningen, discovered about 40 dead animals and removed roughly 160 live animals from a shed after an anonymous tip led authorities to raid the property, resulting in the arrest of a 21-year-old man, AD reported.

The police, working together with the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), entered the shed after receiving the tip and found multiple deceased animals inside. Among the dead were sheep, lambs and a calf.

In addition to the dead animals, officers found around 160 living animals kept in what police described as extremely poor conditions. The surviving animals were immediately moved to another location and are being examined by a veterinarian.

“The animals did not have enough food and water, received hardly any daylight, and were walking among the carcasses of deceased animals,” police said in a statement posted on Instagram.