Your expat
voice in Spain FREE
Vol. 1 Issue 7
www.theolivepress.es
June 20th - July 3rd 2019
YOUR PROPERTY IS OUR PRIORITY. YOU ARE IN EXPERT HANDS
HOLIDAY RENTALS SALES
www.jbholiday.com +34 695 55 45 44
www.jordan-bay.com +34 653 42 80 74
Proud to be expats AN overwhelming majority of our readers are not offended by the term ‘expat’. That’s the initial result of our online poll which asked ‘Do you find the use of the word 'expat' to describe British and foreign nationals living in Spain offensive?’ The vote came after a barrage of emails to the newsdesk complained of the Olive Press’ use of the word, requesting that it be switched out for ‘resident’ or
We look at Britain’s worst expat exports Page 6/7
‘Vile’ animal abuser jailed after British-run shelter wins landmark legal victory EXCLUSIVE By Joshua Parfitt
Is this Alicante’s most haunted house? Page 10
Bandits, Moors and goats... the perfect holiday escape just 4 hours away Page 22
Keep your eyes peeled for the best value wines in Spain Page 26
A FIVE-year legal battle has led to a ‘landmark’ sentence under Spain’s animal abuse laws. A British-run animal sanctuary claimed victory after it stepped in to help a group of dogs from starvation in 2014. The Spanish owner of the dog pound, near Zaragoza, has received a six month prison sentence, a heavy fine and is banned from keeping animals for three years. A. R. G., 39, was also ordered to pay all legal costs, by the judge at court Number 4, in Zaragoza. It comes after Alicante animal charity SCAN (Society for the Care of Animals in Need), based in El Ver-
RUFF JUSTICE
ger, near Denia, saved five dogs and reported the Spanish owner to police. President Barry Caufield, 71, was so outraged by the state of the animals (pictured top right), he insisted something had to be done. The dogs were found abandoned in plastic boxes without food, while the remains of dead ‘half-eaten dogs’ lay nearby. Huge amounts of excrement were scattered around the plot, in the village of Fayon. dog away from the “It was vile food shouting: ‘I deand disgusting cide when I feed my and we simdog’. ply had to do When arrested he adwhat was rimitted he had not fed ght,” Caufield the dog for three days, told the Oliso he didn’t have to ve Press this clear up after him. week. The dog has now been “I’m delighted rescued by members that justice of the Protectora de has been serAnimales of Denia. ved and that we have had a
You total sh*t A MAN has been arrested in Denia for animal abuse after starving his dog so he ‘didn't have to pick up its poo’. He was cuffed after neighbours were attacked for attempting to feed the ‘weak’ and ‘dehydrated’ dog. The 34-year-old Spanish owner kicked the
VENDORS
UK BASED
TRAVEL INSURANCE
GUIDE HOW TO SELL YOUR PROPERTY QUICKER AND BETTER
SALES & RENTALS SPECIALISTS
96 649 1883 www.moraira-hamiltons.net
www.globelink.co.uk
Certified Residential Specialist The Proven Path to Success
96 626 5000 +44 (0) 1353 699082
VICTORY: For Barry and SCAN
positive affect. “If you’re only interested in making a noise about it, nothing will ever change,” added Caufield, a former director of an insurance company in the UK. According to SCAN’s lawyer Raquel Lopez, the shelter’s intervention has made legal history in Spain. Although R. will not go to prison as sentences under two years are waived for first-time offenders - the
Avda. Madrid, 24, 03724 Moraira - Alicante
case has set a ‘legal precedence’ as abandonment is now written into article 337 of the Spanish penal code. “This is a landmark, because at the time of trial the law did not consider ‘abandonment’ of animals a criminal offence,” Raquel Lopez, one of Spain’s top animal rights lawyers, told the Olive Press. When the man was first charged in 2014, article 337 of the penal code only considered direct physical harm against animals as a crime. “Despite the law not mandating it, we managed to get the maximum sentence for a ‘basic’ crime of animal abuse,” Lopez added. “Without legal action taken by SCAN, this case would almost certainly have been archived.” In total, SCAN managed to find new homes for two griffon cross-breeds, Chicho and Carbon, while the others were rehomed near Zaragoza. The charity spent a total of €14,000 in legal costs and rescue and rehoming. Opinion Page 6
DRAGON
Tel. (+34) 96 649 18 29 info@hispaniahomes.es www.hispaniahomes.co.uk
INSURANCE Unbeatable prices for all types of insurance
Want to sell your property? Ask here for our VENDORS GUIDE
for Spanish residents
Moriara•Calpe•Jalon•Javea•Denia•Altea
‘immigrant’. However a snapshot of our readers’ opinions revealed that two thirds were not bothered by the term. On our Facebook poll, there have so far been 881 votes. Out of those, 656 said ‘no’, while 223 said ‘yes’. The results were repeated on Twitter, where 68% of 80 votes said they did not find the term offen- TYPICAL EXPATS: Brits and (left) Dutch sive.
and get the most success in your task
PARTNERING OWNERS FOR OVER 20 YEARS
Specialists in Luxury Villas Holiday Rentals and Sales
Very competitive for travel insurance All insurances individually tailored to suit your needs Pre-paid or Funeral insurance plans available Car Insurance English or Spanish plated vehicles TPO from 100€ – FC from 250€ FREE financial & inheritance tax reviews
Javea - Denia La Sella Golf Area tel: 966 424 505 mob: 647 575 152
Call our team of experts NOW!
www.vacationvillasspain.com
www.dragoninsure.com
Tel: 966 493 762 762