On June 14 and 15, the Cabildo de Tenerife is set to host the inaugural Insular Pet Fair at the Santa Cruz fairgrounds. The initiative was introduced by Valentín González, the advisor for Primary Sector and Animal Welfare, alongside Adriana Naranjo, the president of the Canarian Federation of Animal Protectors (FECAPAP), and Pedro Brito, the manager of the Official College of Veterinarians.
Initiatives
González outlined several strategies aimed at both the public and private sectors, including the management of dedicated canine shelters, establishing a new funding line for protectors, and launching sterilisation and identification programmes for cats in feral colonies, along with awareness campaigns promoting responsible care.
Purpose
The objective is to create a communal space for families to encourage responsible ownership and adoption. The first Insular Pet Fair of Tenerife will operate under the motto “We change their destiny: caring for animals means caring for our society,” featuring various areas for exhibitions, catwalks, panel discussions, workshops, and talks. This fair aims to advocate for animal welfare, showcasing that Tenerife is a sanctuary for animals.
Canines and felines
Tenerife is home to the highest number of registered dogs, reaching 238,139 out of a total of 573,813. Gran Canaria follows with 198,598, then Fuerteventura (42,678), Lanzarote (39,810), La Palma (34,285), La Gomera (5,890), and El Hierro (4,042). Additionally, around 9,485 dogs are classified as non-Canarian by the Zoocan Portal. In the LSLA, there are 55,687 registered cats, totalling 132,439 across the archipelago, with Tenerife leading this statistic. Notably, only in April, there were 4,859 new registrations: 2,900 for dogs and 1,938 for cats.
Abandonment
Every year, between 4,000 and 6,000 animals are abandoned in theCanary Islands, an alarming statistic that underscores the urgent need for promoting microchip identification in pets. According to veterinarians in Las Palmas and Tenerife, merely 10% of dogs and 1% of abandoned cats are appropriately registered. The latest Insular Welfare Council has not only promoted the first comprehensive pet fair but is also establishing a new reception centre at the Ocampo dam farm in Tacoronte, which aims to address the shortcomings of the Valle Colino regional shelter.
