All suspects of animal abuse in illegal shelters in Santo Tirso were acquitted by the court. The case involved investigations into alleged abuse practiced in clandestine shelters in the region.
The court did not consider it proven that the defendants had acted with awareness that they were causing suffering to the animals. In other words, it was not demonstrated that the suspects knew they were inflicting abuse.
This acquittal decision comes after a legal process that analyzed the conditions of the illegal shelters and the practices allegedly adopted by those responsible. The lack of evidence regarding the defendants' knowledge and intent was decisive for the verdict.
