site.btaProsecutor's Office Reports 318 Trials for Animal Cruelty between 2019 and 2024

Between 2019 and 2024, a total of 318 people have been brought to trial for animal cruelty, the Prosecutor's Office reported on Thursday. The data provided is not final.

Out of the 309 cases filed in court, 262 people have been convicted, with sentences including prison terms, probation, fines, and other penalties. Nine individuals were sentenced to actual imprisonment for extreme cruelty and causing the death of animals.

The number of acquittals has been negligible, with only one or two cases per year. In 2019, there were three acquittals, while in 2024, no one was acquitted.

The majority of cases brought to court involved the killing or injury of vertebrate animals (235 cases), and failure to provide adequate care for animals (71 cases). Additionally, there were three cases related to organizing and conducting animal fights.

The Prosecutor's Office notes that while many reports of animal cruelty are submitted by citizens, not all of them are substantiated, or sufficient evidence is gathered to initiate criminal proceedings.

Recently, the Ministry of Justice proposed an amendment to Article 325b of the Penal Code related to acts of cruelty against vertebrates. The proposal responds to public outrage after two individuals in Pernik were exposed to have tortured and killed animals for payment by foreign clients.