Pets can be loyal companions, but at the latest when you go on vacation and taking the animal with you is either associated with high costs or the airline generally refuses to transport dogs, cats and the like, things can get complicated. If there is no one to look after the animal or if you cannot afford an animal boarding house, it is better not to travel. That was out of the question for a man from Salzburg, because he preferred to lock his pitpull bitch in his bedroom.

The man from Salzburg didn't want to give up his vacation and so the animal was simply left to its own devices in the apartment. The magistrate of the city of Salzburg intervened because there were tips from neighbors, because the four-legged friend drew attention to his predicament by barking loudly, among other things. The legal steps for the forced opening of the apartment were carried out and then on November 8, 2022 an official veterinarian found an emaciated animal in a devastated room that was also soiled with urine and feces. It is believed that the four-legged friend could have been without food and water for a few weeks.

The official veterinarian responsible has arranged for the pit bull bitch to be cared for by the paw helper. There the animal was raised. The animal was not only confiscated from the former dog owner, but he also had to answer to the Salzburg Regional Court. The magistrate of the city of Salzburg has filed a criminal complaint. At trial, the man tried to justify himself by saying that he thought a friend was checking on the animal regularly.

After three days of trial at the Salzburg Regional Court, the perpetrator was sentenced on Monday to three months in prison for cruelty to animals (sentence range §222: two years). “It was only slowly that we were able to nurse this terribly poor dog, who the perpetrator would have died of thirst. At Christmas, she was finally adopted by a Salzburger, with whom she can go everywhere and go for long walks - a real Christmas happy ending," says Pfotenhilfe boss Johanna Stadler. “We visited Lissy after the first day of the trial and were overjoyed and gratefully cuddled by her. How callous, stone cold, and callous do you have to be to do such a thing to a sentient being? I really do hope that the perpetrator now gets a lifetime pet ban, which the city now has the right to do based on the conviction. But with a two-year sentence for animal cruelty and the massive criminal record, I would have expected a deterrent verdict. No one will understand such a lenient judgment and I am not surprised that cruelty to animals is still so common. Unfortunately, animals do not have the value they deserve with our authorities. They feel like we do, so animal cruelty needs to be punished appropriately!”

Many airlines refuse to carry animals. Therefore, people who are interested in package tours and want to take a dog and/or cat with them, for example, should inquire before booking whether they can take their four-legged friends with them or not. Some airlines offer this for a hefty surcharge. If you can't find a solution, you should book an alternative holiday destination that can be reached by car, for example, but never abandon the animal somewhere, which unfortunately happens again and again, or leave it at home uncared for.