Tenerife Farm Raid: Goats Stolen, Daughter's Pet Among Them
Tenerife goat farmer Roberto Rodríguez reported 14 goats, including his daughter's pet, and a trailer stolen from his farm, suspecting the animals are being sold for meat to northern Tenerife eateries.
Roberto Rodríguez makes raw goat milk cheeses in El Salto, Tenerife, using milk from his own southern Tenerife breed goats.
He recently shared on social media that between Wednesday, January 14th, and Thursday, January 15th, likely in the early morning, thieves broke into his farm, Fuente de la Tosca. They stole about 14 adult goats and a 1.50-meter trailer. Among the stolen goats is Ariel, a beloved pet of Roberto's 11-year-old daughter, Vanesa. Vanesa had cared for Ariel since birth after her mother died during labor.
Roberto suspects that the main person behind these thefts lives in La Cisnera (Arico) and is often seen near the El Río and La Mareta ravines.
He explains that the thieves steal the livestock and take them to the northern part of the island. There, they sell the goats to an intermediary who then slaughters them. The meat is then sold to various local guachinches (traditional Canarian eateries) and restaurants. Roberto has filed a police report and informed health authorities. He hopes they will inspect these establishments and request purchase invoices to track the meat.
"It's very likely I won't see my goats again, including my daughter's pet, which she raised and is very tame," says Roberto. "But I won't stop until the places selling this meat, and the intermediaries, are inspected."
Roberto adds, "These individuals have been doing this for years, and no one has properly investigated. They've stolen, killed, and sold hundreds of goats and sheep without any checks. They steal from honest people who work incredibly hard, without any conscience. I urge anyone visiting guachinches or restaurants in northern Tenerife to ask where their meat comes from."