Dogs in filthy bowls of urine and feces: Prague-Zbraslav breeder denies animal cruelty charges

A woman known as Santos is standing trial in Prague's Zbraslav district, accused of abusing dozens of dogs. According to the prosecution, the animals were kept in a van and in a fenced-off area of just 24 square metres, covered with fine gravel, under "absolutely unacceptable, torturous and dangerous conditions."

The case mainly concerns Biewer Terriers, which, according to court documents, were denied basic care, hygiene and nutrition. The defendant allegedly bred the dogs for sale, marketing the puppies as purebred "with papers," even though this was reportedly not true.

Investigators say the animals suffered from hunger, thirst and unsanitary conditions — their water bowls were found to contain bacteria, urine and feces. The woman fed them irregularly, depending on her own financial situation. When the dogs were injured, whether by accident or in fights with one another, the breeder allegedly did nothing to treat their wounds, according to the prosecution.

One incident dates back to spring 2022: due to the hazardous conditions, one of the female dogs injured her front paw, but according to case files, she was never given proper veterinary care. Only days later did the defendant's mother take the dog to a vet herself, where the doctor described the nature of the injury as unusual. When the mother returned home with the dog and Santos learned about the vet visit, she reportedly insisted "the dog is fine," locked the animal in the van, and two days later told her mother the dog had died.

A year earlier, according to the indictment, the breeder used a rubber band to tie the tail of a female Chihuahua to her belly "to make it easier for the dog to mate with a male while in heat." Due to constant tension, the band cut into the dog's skin over two weeks, cutting off blood flow and causing tissue necrosis.

In this case too, the prosecution claims, the injured dog was never taken to a vet — Santos allegedly said "it's nothing serious, it'll heal on its own." According to investigators, the animal died several months later, having given birth to puppies shortly before her death — puppies the breeder promptly sold.

"I definitely feel innocent," the defendant said after the indictment was read out, after which she refused to testify in court. Instead, the judge read out her earlier statements from the pre-trial proceedings. In them, the woman claimed she brought the dogs from Germany, Hungary or Poland, and that all of them supposedly came with pedigree papers.

She rejected the accusations regarding the conditions the dogs were kept in: "That's complete nonsense. I kept the dogs the way I believed was best for them." She also denied that aggression among the animals was a result of her breeding methods: "Conflicts within the pack are caused solely by rivalry between the dogs," Santos said, attributing virtually every problem — including the deaths of several animals — to "pack disputes."

Adding another disturbing detail to the case are seized audio recordings in which the defendant is heard discussing the carcass of a dog with a friend and the possibility of turning it into a bracelet. Santos called this a joke — just as she described her own laughter over the fact that a "mixed-breed cripple" had been sold for ten thousand crowns.

"I won't say I was perfect and never made mistakes, but I tried to make sure the dogs were well cared for," the defendant said. The main court hearing is scheduled for this week. If found guilty, the woman faces up to eight years in prison for keeping animals in inappropriate conditions and for cruelty toward them. The state prosecutor is seeking a five-year prison sentence for her, along with an eight-year ban on professional activity.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz