Overview
- The ferry docked in Palma on Saturday morning, where 27 of 36 dogs traveling in a closed van were found dead and nine were discovered alive but semi‑conscious.
- The Guardia Civil’s Seprona unit has taken charge of the case and plans to question the owners and drivers while inspecting the van and the ferry conditions.
- Necropsies are pending to determine the precise cause of death, with investigators keeping all lines of inquiry open.
- One unconfirmed line of inquiry reported by media is a possible failure to activate the van’s ventilation, which could have caused oxygen deprivation and heat buildup.
- The dogs belonged to Mallorcan hunters returning from training in Lithuania, and reporting notes that hunting dogs are excluded from certain ship transport welfare rules that allow closed‑van carriage.