In an act of animal cruelty, 10 dogs poisoned in Florencio Varela: Shelter “La Banda de Sarita” faces a nightmare

A chilling incident of animal cruelty has shocked the community of Florencio Varela. Ten dogs from the animal shelter “La Banda de Sarita”, located in the town of La Capilla, have been victims of a brutal attack: they were deliberately poisoned.

The tragedy has already claimed the lives of 6 of them, while the remaining four are fighting to survive animal cruelty.

The shelter, an institution that has been operating for over two decades in the rural area of Varela, had never before faced an attack of this magnitude, although in recent times it had been experiencing constant threats.

“For 30 years I have been rescuing animals. Currently, at “La Banda de Sarita” we have more than 500 animals —including 350 dogs, many cats, horses, pigs, and cows—, all rescued from extreme situations of abuse, neglect, or legal cases,” says Sara, the shelter’s director to Noticias Ambientales.

Ongoing Investigation: a planned act of animal cruelty

The formal complaint was filed at the Fifth Police Station of La Capilla, which immediately triggered the involvement of the Ecological Police. The officers collected traces of poison found on the premises, which will be crucial for the investigation.

According to sources close to the case, everything points to the fact that the incident was not accidental; it is a planned act of animal cruelty.

Furthermore, last Friday the complaint was expanded to the relevant Prosecutor’s Office. From the NGO, the urgent intervention of a forensic veterinary doctor from the Buenos Aires Police has been requested. Their work will be crucial to carry out the necessary toxicological analyses on the deceased animals’ organs to determine the substance used.

How the law applies to such a sad event

The case is being investigated under the figure of animal abuse, a crime classified by Law 14.346, widely known. However, given the intentional nature of the attack against living beings protected by the law, it could also fall under Article 184 of the Penal Code for aggravated damages.

The organization facing this act of animal cruelty has already confirmed that it will act as a private prosecutor to actively promote the criminal investigation, with the legal support of lawyer Marcela Loyola.

In an emotional dialogue, volunteers from the shelter expressed their deep distress: “We have been victims of harassment for some time, but this exceeded all limits.”

The investigation into animal cruelty is ongoing, and the results of the analyses are awaited to proceed with possible charges. Meanwhile, animal welfare activists call for solidarity, justice, and increased security for unprotected animals.