Mexico City officials seized 81 dogs in various states of maltreatment in the Gustavo A. Madero borough on Monday and Tuesday.

The city’s Environmental Attorney General’s Office (POAT) recovered the animals — 63 on Monday and 18 more on Tuesday — for evidence in the case it plans to file against those found responsible for their captivity and treatment.

The dogs were being held in cages in the back of a truck. A report in the newspaper El Universal suggested they were to be used as bait to train other dogs to fight.

The maltreatment of an animal leading to non-life-threatening injuries carries a penalty of six months to two years in prison and fines ranging from 4,344 to 8,688 pesos (US $233-$466) in the capital city.

Those sanctions could go as high as three years in prison and a 13,032-peso fine if the injuries put the animal’s life in danger.

“At POAT we consider it of the utmost importance that the public prosecutor’s office try those responsible in this case of animal maltreatment, which was verified by the physical conditions in which we found the specimens,” said POAT director Mariana Boy.

The 63 dogs found on Monday were sent to veterinary clinics for physical examinations.

They were found to be in states of severe dehydration and malnutrition.

“[The vets] also found signs of skin ailments, signs of anemia, conjunctivitis, severe periodontal disease and dental fistulas. Cases of paraphimosis and non-recent lesions in the limbs and eyes were also observed,” officials said.

Mariana Boy stressed the importance of reviewing and discussing reforms to the city’s animal protection laws that have been proposed by Deputy Leticia Varela to prevent further cases of overcrowding and maltreatment.

Source: El Universal (sp)