The Socialist Group in the Cabildo of Tenerife has reminded the current administration, composed of CC and PP with external backing from Vox, that they have ceased executing renovation works at the animal shelter run by the ADEPAC association in El Ravelo (El Sauzal). This project had previously been declared urgent, yet the €800,000 allocated for a comprehensive refurbishment of the facilities has not been implemented.
In a statement, the PSOE in Tenerife also announced that they will demand an increase in the subsidy received by the shelter to €400,000 during the corporation’s plenary session on Friday, in light of the “substantial” number of dogs it accommodates, currently 337, and the services it provides.
Both the leader of the party on the island, Pedro Martín, and Socialist advisor Javier Parrilla accompanied ADEPAC director Yahaira Tovar on a visit to the facilities to assess the deteriorating conditions of the shelter. “It has suffered from numerous material deficiencies and the aftermath of the fire that impacted Tenerife in 2023,” they noted.
“Today we are here as a result of a visit from the Socialist Group, which sought to witness the condition of the shelter first-hand, something that the governing group has shown reluctance to do,” explained Tovar. She added that “we have heard that the Cabildo wishes to address the well’s problems, yet it is not only the well at stake; the shelter is deteriorating daily. Establishing a veterinary clinic is critically urgent, and we have been awaiting this for years. We aspire for everyone to unite and resolve this issue,” she emphasised.
Pedro Martín elucidated that the “animal shelter administered by ADEPAC” operates on Cabildo premises. “For several years, ADEPAC has struggled to manage the shelter, as an increasing number of animals are being abandoned by both individuals and institutions like local councils,” Martín pointed out. “In the last term,” he continued, “we raised the subsidy, and in 2023 proposed an investment of approximately €800,000 through a loan to rectify the issues, beginning with the cesspool or establishing a clinic. Time has elapsed, and the Cabildo has taken no action. The Council’s announcement regarding the well is decidedly insufficient,” the Socialist General Secretary added.
Pedro Martín also noted that the dogs entering this shelter often arrive in “poor health,” many being victims of illegal dog fights, as well as others displaced due to the fire that affected Tenerife last summer in August 2023. “Besides providing shelter, essential services such as veterinary care, identification chip implantation, and food support are offered.”
The Socialist Group explains that they have previously raised, “to no avail,” this concern with the government led by Rosa Dávila, owing to the shelter housing a record number of dogs while suffering from sanitation issues, including an overflowing well, alongside problems related to moisture, damage to the electrical system, waterproofing failures, and deterioration of metal structures. “Furthermore, there have been delays in the payment of workers’ salaries due to the continuous delays in the Cabildo’s subsidy payments,” Martín has expressed.
The shelter has various proposals and projects for reforming certain facilities, expanding, or comprehensive repairs such as the purification system. Nevertheless, “almost a year and a half after the fire, no progress has been made, and the continued degradation of the facilities is advancing,” he lamented.
