Multi-county searches in an investigation into the illegal euthanasia of stray dogs. How an operator illegally collected over 100,000 lei
On Thursday, March 5, the police carried out 20 house searches in several counties in the country, in two criminal cases regarding the illegal euthanasia of stray dogs. The investigations also concern the offenses of fraud, abuse of office and forgery of documents under private signature.
Searches take place in the counties of Prahova, Giurgiu, Constanța and Ilfov, at the offices of legal entities, at the residences of individuals, as well as at the offices of public institutions and are carried out by IPJ Prahova.
Animals euthanized without right
The investigations are carried out under the aspect of committing the crimes of fraud, abuse of office, killing animals with intent, without right, and forgery in documents under private signature.
“From the evidence administered so far, it emerged that, in the period 2025-2026, the representatives of two private animal shelters would have concluded contracts with several administrative-territorial units, with the object of capturing, housing, euthanizing and neutralizing stray dogs. In the execution of these contracts, the dogs that would not have been adopt or claim would have been euthanized without right, in violation of the relevant legal provisions, respectively the provisions of GEO no. 155/2001 and HG no. 1059/2013, which establish the legal framework regarding the management of stray dogs and the conditions under which euthanasia can be ordered”, it is stated in a press release from the Romanian Police.
Services contracted illegally and not performed
At the same time, in October 2025, a commercial company would have concluded a service contract with an administrative-territorial unit, with the object of capturing stray dogs.
Later, the company's representatives would have drawn up documents in which they would have unrealistically recorded the capture of more than 100 dogs, although they would not have had the necessary logistical capacity and would not have fully performed the contracted services, “thereby misleading the contracting authority and unfairly obtaining the sum of over 100,000 lei”.
The investigation concerns the illegal euthanasia of stray dogs. PHOTO captured by the Romanian Police
The investigation is to determine the total number of illegally euthanized animals.
Nine people, taken for questioning
Nine people, aged between 28 and 56, will be taken to the headquarters of the police unit for questioning.
The activities benefit from the support of the fighters from the Service for Interventions and Special Actions-IGPR, the Service for Special Actions Prahova, from the policemen from the Directorate for Animal Protection-IGPR, the Bureau for Animal Protection Prahova, the Forensic Service Prahova, the Criminal Investigation Service, the Ploiești Municipality Police, as well as the National Veterinary Sanitary and Food Safety Authority.
