ANCONA – During the daily checks carried out on the vehicles disembarking from the liners arriving in the Doric port, the Fiamme Gialle of Ancona, in collaboration with the officials of the Customs and Monopolies Agency, discovered inside a car coming from Turkey and disembarked from a motor vessel coming from Greece, 30 dogs transported in absolutely precarious conditions, in violation of the provisions of the regulations regarding the protection of companion animals and, consequently, illegally introduced into
Italy.
In detail, the two citizens on board the car, one of Turkish nationality and the other of German nationality, were discovered by the GDF soldiers and Ancona Customs officials in possession of 21 puppies, moreover crammed into 3 pet carriers, and 9 small adult dogs, transported in a single box.
The couple, coming from Turkey and owners of the animals, attempted to introduce them into the territory of the European Union, but without having the required documentation and without any certification regarding compliance with the prophylaxis required by current veterinary legislation.
Furthermore, the 21 puppies were found to be less than 90 days old, the minimum age required by law to be able to be transported and were also found to be without microchips or any type of documentation; the 9 small adult dogs equipped with microchips were accompanied by incomplete health documentation.
The animals, due to the evidently inadequate methods of transport, were in conditions of great stress, consequently showing nervousness and a strong state of malaise; they were immediately subjected to an examination and, having ascertained their health conditions, the formalities required for their regularization were carried out by applying the required microchips for identification as per the regulations.
All the dogs, both adults and puppies, were seized while the two owners were reported to the local judicial authority for illicit trafficking of pets and for the crime of mistreatment. The animals have been entrusted and currently kept in a suitable facility in the province of Ancona available to the Doric Judicial Authority, awaiting subsequent measures.
The effective collaboration between the Guardia di Finanza and the Customs and Monopolies Agency, also in this case, was fundamental in combating the illicit behavior that can occur in port traffic, continuously ensuring compliance with national and international laws, starting from the protection of consumers of lawful commercial transactions, up to the protection and protection of animals.
