HISTORIC WIN FOR ANIMALS: Lady Freethinker Investigation Nets Chile’s Strongest-Ever Sentence for Animal Cruelty
Lady Freethinker’s investigation into a cruel dogfight breeding facility has led to an unprecedented victory for the animals: For the first time in Chile’s history, a judge issued the maximum possible sentence for animal abuse under new laws, sending the message that cruelty to animals will no longer be tolerated. And for the first time in the country, the court barred an offender from ever having an animal again.
After LFT exposed his cruel dog kennels, defendant Gonzalo Ariel Rebolledo Robles — a known dogfighting organizer — was issued three years imprisonment, as well as the maximum fine possible and a lifelong ban on keeping animals.
This is the strongest conviction of its kind achieved in Chile. The case will set a national precedent.
The case against Robles began in July 2018 when our investigator traveled to Chile and discovered 21 dogs confined in miserable conditions on a plot of land in the town of Llay Llay. The dogs, some displaying infected wounds and scars suggestive of dogfighting, were kept on short chains and in filthy kennels with no food or water. Sadly, three dogs lay dead and decomposing on the ground. An autopsy report revealed they most likely starved to death — a fact that later played a major role in sentencing.
Dozens of hens and cockfighting roosters also lived in cramped cages on the premises.
LFT’s investigator reported the evidence, and police raided the property that night and rescued all 21 dogs.
Our petition following the investigation garnered over 22,000 signatures urging prosecutors to take this and other animal cruelty cases seriously. Your voices were heard.
This historic sentence means that animal abusers in Chile will now think twice before committing heinous crimes.
Thank you to our readers who signed the petition and lent your voices to protect animals. Thank you to the Chilean law enforcement, media and local activists who worked exhaustively to enforce the recent laws passed to strengthen protections for animals.
Today, we are one step closer to protecting animals from horrific abuse. The Chilean government is setting the tone, and we hope that this case sends a global message that animal cruelty will not be tolerated.
What’s New…
3 years is a joke. It’s not even a slap on the wrist. He should have been put to death. I realize that unfortunately that was the maximum sentence, but they need to make much stronger sentences. At least it’s a start
PURE AWESOMENESS
I’m glad these people will not tolerate animal abuse but the sentences need to be stricter then this
I am becoming “in nerves.”
Many of the “lower pictures and captions are to sign to help the animals
aND WHEN I CLICK. I GO NOWHERE!!!!
Why is this and I would greatly appreciate it if you would correct it it is been happening for quite a while now what is the point of asking people to sign to help these animals when everything below the top article leads you nowhere?
This is extremely frustrating not to mention I can’t help a question without an address being listed are these petitions even sent anywhere
That’s wonderful this needs to be world wide!
This is a groundbreaking decision on the part of the Chilean authorities. Brilliant work by the Lady Freethinker team! You are a beacon for all animals with your untiring investigations and petitions.
Congrats to all who worked on this! You will be blessed!
A righteous man
regardeth the life of his beast:
Proverbs 12:10
Happy to hear that they’ve finally got The Who is inflicting so much cruelty to animals and that he is banned from owning any animals in the future. I just wish that they could have put him in the same kind of pens that he kept the dogs in and treat him the same way that he was treating the dogs…
Glad they were charged and prevented to have dog fights and cock fighters. Glad they charge them. No more animals for them. They should have charged a sentence for 99 years.
Good on Ladyfreethinker!! Would like to have seen more done to him.
Definitely, never allowed near a dog or other animal ever!
Fabulous, it’s what they deserve.
It’s about time.
Happy to hear that the law is taking animal abuse serious seriously
So happy to hear that the law is taking animal abuse serious need to take this law every country and state
Thanks so much to the Chilean people and government! Please keep on setting the right example!
I just hope and pray that the law and the punishments continue to become more and more severe and that more laws becp,e ,pre [rptectopms fpr the animals pf the world
Animals should be safe and protected, thank you.
Good keep them abusers from owning any animal, I wish America would so the same.
It is horrible
This is just so incredible ♥
MERCI , MILLE FOIS , QUE TOUS LES PAYS FASSENT DE MÊME !!
Thank you so much for all your hard work – what a great result.
Please keep all the good hard work
This is a step in the right direction. Animal cruelty must stop. The pain intentionally inflicted on innocent animals is heartbreaking. COWARDS!
This dog fighting is sick , and isn’t healthy for any one to see pleasures in tormenting animals
Awesome news! Thank you
Thank you.
Thank you Chile.
Hopefully this country and all country will follow you compassionate example.
Good start. I also feel that this is going to make the perpetrators try that much harder to go underground with their crimes. So the laws need fo be very vigilante in staying on those useless twits butts to keep them in line and don’t just sentence and not go through with prosecution. The key word here is PUNISH! Lady freethinkers is doing amazing, beautiful work and I am so happy we and the animals have them. It’s because of them and other organizations like them, all the sweet, precious animals of this earth has a fighting chance. You make me proud lady freethinker.
I wanted to thank the judge in Chile for his good and righteous decision and to thank Lady Freethinker for bringing us these petitions to sign and show our disgust at the evil perpetrated by mankind on the animals.
Thank you so much Chile for doing the right thing. I hate dog fighting and dog fighters worse than anything and I want it stopped and driven out of our world. I want all dog fighters to be in prison until they die. But I am thankful for the 3 years this guy got and that he cannot have anymore animals for life. That should be the fate of anyone who abuses animals. Dog fighting is a filthy awful disgusting offense and they will answer to God for it because He loves His creatures.
Congratulations on a great achievement Lady Free Thinker. Your hard work and dedication is extremely admirable and life saving to all those beautiful animals. Keep up the great work you do. So proud of all of you.
HOORAY and congratulations to all involved. What a win for animals and those who care about their ethical treatment.
Amazing news!
Bonne nouvelle!
At last our endless writing and signing has finally paid off..thank you Lord! Hopefully this first victory will continue and help save the thousands of other suffering animals in other lands. Thank you, Chile, for being the leaders and champions of the no longer abused wonderful animals, you have set other countries a great goal to go after!!
Animal cruelty must never be tolerated. All measures must be taken to unsure the safety and well being of any creature we have the priviledge of caring fir.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Thank you LFT for your heroic efforts in enabling this landmark decision & justice for the poor animals.I hope it deters & eventually helps abolish animal abuse.
Thanks so much for the words of support, Grayson!
Thank you, LFT, for your diligence in fighting for animals’ rights.
!Gracias al juez en Chile que impuso el castigo máximo en contra al sinverguënza Robles! Espero que no vaya a repetir sus malditos crímenes explotando a los animales nunca jamás.
Thanks for your support, Judy! Love the comment to the judge 🙂