The Bulgarian organization that exposed the zoosadists from the Bulgarian towns Pernik and Svishtov has completed a second successful investigation that has shaken the South American country.
For immediate release – Sofia/São Paulo – May 29th, 2026
A woman from Brazil, identified as Dayana Schuinsel de Almeida, was arrested on Thursday (May 28th) in the city of São Paulo. She was arrested and charged with recording acts of torture against animals and selling the videos on social media. According to local police, the content had been sold in European countries through the means of popular online platforms.
The arrest followed a complaint filed by the Brazilian organization “Forum for Animals,” which worked jointly on the case with the Bulgarian association, CAAI. This is the second case in Brazil involving the torture of animals, uncovered through the collaboration between the two organizations.
Video footage of the arrest of the Brazilian animal abuser was published shortly after the arrest by CNN Brazil. The footage shows São Paulo Civil Police entering Dayana Almeida’s home after issuing repeated warnings. She appeared extremely surprised and initially denied the accusations, but later admitted to them during the search. Police also seized physical evidence demonstrating her guilt and compared her tattoos on-site with those of the woman appearing in the brutal videos.
In her videos, Dayana Almeida tortured small vertebrate animals, such as pet mice, chicks, and rabbits.
The case sparked widespread outrage across Brazil. As she was being escorted out of her home, angry neighbors surrounded the detained abuser, and police attempted to protect her from the furious crowd.
“We thank our partners from the ‘Forum for Animals’ (Fórum Nacional de Proteção e Defesa Animal) and the São Paulo Civil Police for making this arrest possible. Together, we have uncovered a second case of animal abuse in Brazil following the one in the state of Pará last November. From the very beginning of the case, CAAI provided identification of the perpetrator and information that greatly assisted in locating her.
The São Paulo State Police reported that since the beginning of the year, more than 1,000 animals have been rescued in police operations targeting online animal abuse. Even more concerning is that many of these videos involve teenagers, and the torture and killing of animals are becoming part of the commission of other serious crimes related to online violence. This demonstrates how important it is to have adequate legislation, effective police work, and timely intervention to address such cases,” said Petya Altimirska, Chairperson of CAAI.
“It is horrifying to know that there are criminal groups profiting from the suffering and death of animals by selling videos and images online. We emphasize the importance of integrated actions between animal protection organizations and public institutions in combating crimes of this nature, which are considered extremely serious,” added Ana Paula Vasconcelos, Legal Director of the ‘Forum for Animals,’ Brazil.
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Additional information
CNN Brazil (Video of the arrest): https://www.instagram.com/p/DY5OdONFQxD/
CNN Brazil (article): https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/nacional/sudeste/sp/mulher-presa-por-torturar-animais-vendia-videos-por-50-euros-diz-policia/
G1 Globo (The largest national media in Brazil and all of South America):
Balanco Geral (TV commentary in English): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzC5pNDnBn8
Photos from the arrest:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1V0YhKr16WXPR0l-NtidSiUIXip68M9AL?usp=sharing
In the folders the image source is described. (G1 Globo, CNN, Sao Paulo Police, CAAI/КАЖИ)
Contacts and additional information:
Petya Altimriska (Chairperson of CAAI)
