Jávea huntsman's persecution claim

A MAN from Jávea who keeps hunting hounds claims he is being 'persecuted' for his lifestyle and has shared pictures of graffiti on his garden walls.

Antonio Soler says huge letters were sprayed on the outside of his farmhouse on Calle Sabatera reading, 'murderers', 'hunters: psychopaths', and 'no to hunting'.

Five years ago, someone broke into his property and stole one of his podenco puppies, then another six were stolen one at a time, Antonio told local media.

Whoever took them had left notes on each occasion stating the dogs were going to have a better life now than they would as hunting hounds.

Although pet shelters regularly report cases of severelyneglected podencos and greyhounds, abandoned or left to starve – or worse – once they are 'past their best' for hunting – Antonio insists not everyone who hunts is cruel to their hounds.

“The Guardia Civil have been to my house and seen for themselves that my dogs are very well-cared for,” said Antonio. “I love them. They're part of the family. They live in fully hygienic conditions, and are all micro-chipped.”

He says the individuals who stole his hounds cut through the fence, and after he repaired it, he got himself a German shepherd as a guard dog.

The thefts stopped, but it was then that the graffiti started to appear.

Antonio complains the 'persecution' he suffers is not being investigated properly and he does not feel safe.

He claimed on-foot hunting with hounds is 'key' to 'controlling the over-population of species such as wild boar and rabbits' which 'cause damage to farm crops' when they 'breed non-stop'.