Two individuals were detained on Sunday after authorities allege they let their pets suffer and die from hunger and thirst. The dogs were found in a residence in the Basque town of Igorre. The two brothers, now in custody, face charges of animal cruelty and were taken to the Durango police station yesterday afternoon. Local investigators with the DEIA confirmed that residents in the building had endured a troubling ordeal in recent weeks as a strong stench from the apartment lingered in the block.
The unsettling odor from the teenagers’ home had been reported before. Neighbors described the smell as unbearable and increasingly persistent, prompting some to post notices on the door to alert the owners to the conditions inside. Residents recalled that the odor was so overpowering that it forced people to avoid the hallway and, at times, to block entry to the apartment simply to escape the stench. On one note left at the door, a resident wrote about the situation in stark terms, expressing disbelief that anyone could withstand living with such a foul smell.
Earlier yesterday afternoon, investigators confronting the harsh reality within the apartment uncovered the full extent of the crisis. Four Ertzaintza patrols arrived at the building and entered a single room where two dogs were found dead. A third dog was discovered in a severely distressed state. The animals were placed in plastic bags, a detail confirmed by officials who collected samples and took photographs during the inspection. A neighbor who had been caring for a third dog reported that it was still alive, albeit in grave condition. Witnesses described the deceased dogs as emaciated to the point of bones showing, and they said the animals had died of dehydration and starvation. The scene prompted strong expressions of outrage and sadness among those who saw it.
barking for help
The ongoing distress inside the building extended beyond the animals. The relentless barking of the dogs and a persistent, foul odor had residents on edge for weeks. Neighbors recall that the noise made sleeping nearly impossible and that the stench permeated common areas, creating a tense living environment. Local witnesses and tenants reported the conditions to the Igorre authorities, describing a situation that had grown progressively worse with time. Several neighbors spoke of a sense of helplessness as they watched the situation escalate, expressing that the animals were clearly pleading for rescue and relief. One neighbor noted that the surviving dog remained under the protection of someone nearby, managing to endure by sharing whatever limited sustenance it could find with the other dogs that had died. This observer remarked on how the pet managed to cling to life through sheer will and care from a compassionate resident, even as the overall conditions became increasingly dire for all the animals involved. Another resident conveyed that the scene was heartbreaking, stressing how the animals’ fate underscored the cruel realities of neglect and abandonment, and that the community deserved accountability for letting the distress go unchecked.