Nice, April 8: Upon discovering more than a hundred malnourished and dehydrated cats and dogs in their flat, a French couple was sentenced to one year in jail on probation as well as a lifetime pet ban. In addition the 68-year-old woman and the 52-year-old man have been asked to pay over £129,000 (Rs 1.35 Crore) in damages to the animal protection groups by the court. A total of 159 cats and 7 dogs were found were rescued from the couple's 80-square-meter apartment in Nice, France,

In 2023, the police responded to a complaint regarding a quarrel in the area and discovered an unclean flat with several pet dogs and cats inside. Man Rescues Wolf: Lone Man Puts His Life in Danger to Save Trapped Wolf, Tense Animal Rescue Video Goes Viral.

Numerous hungry and dehydrated cats and dogs with wounds and parasites were found in the apartments, along with the bodies of deceased animals. The cops discovered at least two cats and two pups dead in a bathroom. The Nice Criminal Court declared the couple "guilty of the offence of suspension, given the very poor health" of all domestic cats and dogs on Wednesday, April 3, according to AFP.

"It's like telling a woman that she won't have any more children," the woman said after fighting for custody of the animals during the trial. Who wouldn't file an appeal against such a wrong? They were my true loves, but things had gotten out of control, she admitted in court and said that she didn't mean to "give up." 52 Smuggled Indonesian Birds, Animals Rescued in Assam; Two Arrested.

The woman stated that the apartments and her animals were in a transitory state. According to the BBC, she was given a diagnosis of "Noah's syndrome" during a psychiatric evaluation. This condition is associated with animal hoarding and causes an individual to feel compelled to maintain a greater than usual number of animals, even if they are unable to give them sanitary and compassionate living conditions. The duo is also looking into a 2014 incident in which an 18-square-meter studio was home to 13 animals and a dog. The woman and her boyfriend were in a debt of £6,855 (about Rs. 7.20 lakh) in rent in 2023, and they were in the process of being evicted.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 08, 2024 05:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).