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Hagen (dpa / lnw) - A family from Kreuztal in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district will soon be before the Hagen district court because of alleged fraud with puppies from allegedly German breeding.
A married couple and their adult children are accused of selling puppies of different races from Poland, the Czech Republic or Hungary between 2010 and 2015 as German breeding animals at prices between 250 and 1200 euros, as the regional court announced on Tuesday after the indictment had been largely admitted .
Because of their actual origin, the value of the animals is lower.
You should have bought the animals for about 100 euros in Eastern Europe, said a court spokesman.
A suspected dog broker from Mömbris in Bavaria and an intermediary from Hagen from Poland are also in the dock.
The process, which has not yet been scheduled, will involve a total of 70 cases of fraud.
The prosecution had charged other cases.
However, the court did not allow all of them because, according to an expert opinion, the differences in value of the Eastern European dogs compared to the allegedly German animals were too small to actually prove the customer's financial loss.
In addition, the district court did not allow an indictment against a veterinarian from Hesse.
She was co-operator of the breed, but in the opinion of the court was deceived by the other defendants about the fraudulent practice.
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The main accused breeder (69) and his wife (56) are also accused of numerous violations of the Animal Welfare Act, because they kept their 101 dogs under miserable conditions and should not have given sick animals any treatment.
There was a raid in Kreuztal in 2016 because of the allegedly fraudulent puppy trade.
The police had also found numerous injured, sick and some dead animals on the searched property.
The accused were temporarily in custody, but later released again.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210302-99-657092 / 2