Those responsible for animal deaths in pet shops in Porto Alegre are indicted

This Wednesday (12), the police concluded through 3 three police investigations, determined to investigate the deaths of more than 170 animals in pet shops in the city of Porto Alegre, during the floods in Rio Grande do Sul. The affected animals they were in two stores that belong to the Cobasi brand. The third store, found in the Historic Center, belongs to a company called Bicharada.

The corporation appointed a total of nine individuals and four legal entities during the operation of the Police Station for the Protection and Defense of the Environment and Animals (Dema), which examined three points of sale of animals with records of the deaths of animals during the floods.

Two individuals and also the CNPJ of the company Bicharada were nominated at the end of the investigations. From the Cobasi brand, in total, five people were indicted, namely: 5 local managers, a regional manager, the technical manager and the CNPJ of the branch and head office stores.

Pet shop Cobasi’s response to the incident

According to the police station responsible for the case, in one of the Cobasi stores, located in Praia de Belas Shopping, no surviving animals were found among the 175 that were in stock. In the brand's other store, located on Av. Brasil, where 348 pets were located, only the carcass of a bird and some fish were found. It is believed that the other animals were rescued by an NGO, but no numbers have been confirmed.

Through the official defense note, the Cobasi brand expressed: “indignation at any speech that indicates the possibility that, at the end of exhaustive investigations, the police authority will formally indict any of its collaborators.”

Understand what happened

The investigations into animal deaths in specialized stores in the city of Porto Alegre, during intense floods at the beginning of May, began with legal action by the Public Defender's Office in Rio Grande do Sul against Cobasi stores. This action sought compensation of R$50 million due to environmental damage, public health and psychological damage to the community.

_{Employees “abandon” animals to save equipment (Photo: reproduction/Polícia Civil RS/O antagonista)}

During the flooding of the basement of the Praia de Belas shopping mall, where one of the Cobasi stores is located, small animals such as fish, birds and rodents were abandoned during the flood that occurred on May 3rd. There was the possibility of saving the animals on the same day and also in the following days, according to witnesses.

As the floods rose as the days went by, the manager responsible for the store instructed employees to store electronic equipment in carts and bags on the mezzanine, the equipment remained immaculate. Unlike the animals, which were left with pots of food and water and could have been transported in their cages, but were abandoned and the underground was completely filled with water.

Featured Photo: teams of remaining residents and animals in Porto Alegre (Reproduction/Donaldo Hadlich/CNN BRASIL)