Dog cruelty death in Bale: 21-year-old from Istria arrested
Rovinj police have arrested a 21-year-old suspected of cruelty and starving two German Shepherds to death in the Bale area of Istria.
Arrested for starving two German Shepherds in improvised pen
Rovinj police have detained a 21-year-old and handed him over to a detention unit with a criminal complaint, Istrian police have reported. According to Index.hr reports, the young man is suspected of seriously abusing and starving his two German Shepherds between May 2025 and May 2026 in the Bale area, both of which died.
Police suspect that the owner kept one female Shepherd in an improvised pen without regular food and water, tied so that it could not escape. The animal injured its leg, but the owner did not provide it with veterinary care. To prevent others from intervening, he removed the door handle from the pen. The dog was exposed to high temperatures and direct sunlight.
In an attempt to escape, the Shepherd became tangled on a fence and remained hanging. At that point the owner did not seek help, which according to the investigation directly caused its death.
Furthermore, the young man is suspected of killing another German Shepherd in nearly identical circumstances in early 2025. This dog also lived in an improvised pen without a shelter, without regular food and water, in unhygienic conditions. After the animal died following prolonged exposure to such conditions, the owner did not notify a veterinarian, although he was legally obliged to do so.
The criminal investigation by Rovinj police has been completed, and the 21-year-old was handed over to the competent authorities this morning with a criminal complaint.
Source: Index.hr