Were dogs in Poland being raised for lard?
A woman in Poland is suspected of fattening up her dogs, then slaughtering them and selling their lard as a health supplement, according to an AFP report.
Polish police were questioning a woman at a farm near Czestochowa, in southern Poland, whose 28 dogs include St. Bernards and several puppies, found living in cages on the farm.
Police also founds bottle of lard, which they are testing to see if it came from dogs.
An animal welfare group tipped off the police after buying some lard at the farm.
Some of the dogs “were overfed to the point of no longer being able to walk,” according to a spokesperson for the organization For Animals.
The For Animals group’s undercover inspector, Renata Mizera, said the farmer had stressed the health benefits of the lard and told her that she herself added a spoonful to her daughter’s evening meal.
The police are checking whether the lard – which was found in bottles in a refrigerator at the woman’s farm – comes from dogs.
The 37-year-old farmer could face up to two years in jail for animal cruelty and distributing an unsafe substance, Poland’s TVN24 reported.
The dogs were seized and are being cared for by a vet while For Animals seeks to find new homes for them.
Posted by jwoestendiek August 7th, 2009 under Muttsblog.
Tags: animal welfare, animals, cages, dog lard, dogs, farm, for animals, lard, poland, raised, st. bernard
