Setúbal was identified as the worst district with a total of 18 crimes, 12 for negligent treatment and a further five for abandoning animals followed by Madeira with 12 crimes including eight treatment- related offences.
While there was an average of eight crimes per month, the level of fines was up to 12 per day with the total of 4,536 largely made up of failure to have a pet chipped, vaccination issues and hygiene-sanitary conditions.
The Azores (571), Lisbon (514), Faro (426) and Aveiro (379) were the worst offending districts over the course of the legislation’s first year.
The police action followed public reports that over the course of the year through to the beginning of October amounted to 3,108 tip-offs, averaging at eight per day with July seeing the peak of 425 with Lisbon district containing the most citizen active police informers with 897 calls made.
The legislation punishes acts of cruelty against pets and animals in general that result in their death with prison sentences of up to two years.
The GNR statement concluded that citizens may report such acts of cruelty at any time, anywhere in Portugal via the phone line “SOS Ambiente e Território” number 808200520.