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Date Published: 15/05/2026

Prison sentence for woman whose dog died after being tied up on scorching Torrevieja rooftop

Maikel the dog suffered fatal heatstroke after being left tied up on an exposed terrace for several days in August 2022

A woman in Torrevieja has accepted a one-year prison sentence after her dog, Maikel, died following several days tied up on a sun-exposed rooftop terrace, without food or water, during the height of summer in August 2022.

According to the indictment filed by animal rights organisations Pacma and the Foundation for Advice and Action in Defence of Animals (Faada), the woman kept Maikel "tied up on a solarium-type terrace during the hottest hours" for "several consecutive days, finally causing it to suffer heatstroke that resulted in organic haemorrhages and the death of the dog."

The original prosecution had sought an 18-month prison sentence along with a four-year ban on the defendant from any profession, trade or activity involving animals, as well as from owning or living with them.

After weeks of negotiations, the plea agreement reduced the prison term to one year, though in practice the sentence will be suspended as it falls below the two-year minimum required for immediate imprisonment in Spain. The four-year ban on owning, living with or working with animals remains in place.

Both Pacma and Faada welcomed the outcome, but they were clear that it doesn't go far enough. The organisations described rulings of this kind as "essential" to "continue making progress in the prosecution of animal abuse," while acknowledging they remain "insufficient."

They also used the case to urge the public to speak up, emphasising "the importance of reporting any situation of abandonment or suffering to prevent similar tragedies."

Image: PACMA

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