Another inspection conducted at the Bitxets pet shop on Tuesday once again found sick animals on the premises which were not properly documented. The Department for Animal Protection confiscated four puppies which were on sale, after checking their health and documentation.

Specifically, two dogs tested positive for Giardia, one of which shared a box with another puppy. In addition, two of the dogs were not recorded on the shop’s entry log and there were mistakes with the vaccination dates on their two cards.

Unfit facilities and infringements with documentation

The inspection also detected other irregularities such as the condition of the facilities, which did not meet the minimum requirements for keeping animals in the sales area or the quarantine zone. There were also irregularities with the register for incoming and outgoing animals, along with serious issues with the veterinary control of animals. Documentation was also lacking for the treatment, hospital admission and cause of death of a puppy, animal purchase invoices were missing, as were delivery documents for animals going to other zoological locations.

The closure of the Bitzets shop comes in addition to that of the Ladridos shop in Nou Barris, which was closed down for the same reason in early March. Ten shops have been closed down since 2013 for non-compliance with the by-law on the protection, ownership and sale of animals, with over 900 puppies confiscated.