A 63-year-old man on the Aegean island of Donousa has been arrested and slapped with a record €1.7 million administrative fine for animal cruelty after authorities found 58 cats living in squalid conditions on his property, police said.
Officers from the Naxos and Small Cyclades Police Department made the arrest on Nov. 11 following an inspection of a fenced area owned by the suspect.
Authorities reported finding dozens of cats confined in unsanitary and unsafe spaces.
According to police sources, the administrative fine was calculated at €30,000 per animal, the maximum penalty allowed under Greece's animal welfare law for such offenses.
In addition to the fine, the suspect was brought before a Naxos public prosecutor and faces potential criminal charges.
Animal rights organizations praised the swift action.
The Panhellenic Animal Welfare Federation called it one of the largest fines ever imposed for animal cruelty in Greece, sending a "clear message that neglecting or harming animals will not go unpunished."
The case has drawn national attention. Greece significantly strengthened its animal welfare legislation in 2021, introducing a national pet registry and harsher penalties for mistreatment and neglect. The 63-year-old man remains under investigation.