The councilthrough the Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries area, chaired by the Minister Javier Parrilla, invests 20,000 euros in a campaign to raise awareness about the correct possession of pets as a hub within your well-being. This initiative is part of the renewal of the annual agreement with the College of Veterinarians for the protection and care of animals.
Parrilla values: “We are collaborating with the College of Veterinarians again, after the campaign launched last summer, because we understand that raising awareness cannot be a one-time act, but rather a continuous and lasting project.” The island councilor met with the president of the College of Tenerife, María Luisa Fernández, to study the implementation of this campaign.
The objective of this initiative, in which the Cabildo will invest 20,000 eurosis to promote the responsible ownership of pets, reflect on the commitment involved in caring for a living being and understand their needs from the perspective of knowledge and empathy.
The president of the College of Veterinarians, María Luisa Fernández, highlights the “good harmony” with the insular area, “very sensitive to the animal protection and welfare issues» It also emphasizes the importance of giving continuity to the messages.
Fernández summarizes: ««This campaign is very similar to the one we launched last year because we understand that we must emphasize issues such as identification, sterilization and non-abandonment so that the message penetrates, effectively, in society. ».
Five fundamental axes
The promotion will revolve around five fundamental axes: the identification of pets; sterilization and its benefits; the rejection of abandonment; the control and care of invasive alien species, and the eextreme attention to animal healthsince this can affect diseases that affect human beings.
“Cats should not be on the street because they pose a risk to public health”
The campaign will include a message plan on radio and digital media and the organization of conferences. In addition, it is intended to recover the program of educational talks in schools and summer camps, which could not be developed in 2021 as cas a consequence of the restrictions due to the pandemic covid-19.
The meeting was also attended by the head of the Cabildo Livestock technical service, Rafael Jesús González; the technical director of the College of Veterinarians, Martina Kuhn, and the legal adviser, Sergio Ravelo.
In practice
El Día consulted the group of dog educators Zedong whose philosophy and purpose is “the welfare of dogs” as a practical example in the application of the new legislation. They state from practice that “the pet education It must be kind to the animal, based on respect and must take into account the needs and stages of development.
The expert Yohana Benítez considers “the education that a dog receives (any pet is worth it) and the environment in which it is found to be key when it comes to defining its character.” The trainer values: “Preventive education will help us better understand our animal and refine things to improve coexistence and prevent possible future problems.”
cat sterilization
The Cabildo, on the other hand, will allocate this year an item of 50,000 euros to control and stabilization of feline colonies by means of the CER Method (Capture, Sterilization and Return).
According to the Veterinary College of Tenerife, only 20 percent of cats are sterilized. “Cats don’t have to be on the street, it’s not their place and they also pose a risk to public health and protected spaces,” concludes Javier Parrilla.
The Law on Protection, Rights and Animal Welfare contemplates the obligation to identify by microchip and proceed to the surgical sterilization of all cats before six months.
