Santa Cruz is set to establish its first municipal shelter specifically designed to cater to the stray cat population. This facility for community felines will be situated in the Southwest district, with a budget allocation of 200,000 euros in the 2025 financial plan for its management and implementation. This announcement was made yesterday by the Councillor for Animal Welfare, Carlos Tarife (PP), who explained that “a building will be constructed in this area dedicated to cat colonies, where the animals will receive care, identification, and sterilisation from specialised staff, and will also be made available for adoption.”
The mayor elaborated that the cat shelter will be a collaboration between the Chicharrero City Council and the Tenerife Cabildo. Furthermore, the council has proposed relocating the Valle Colino regional shelter, currently situated in La Laguna, to this part of the municipality. This facility is intended for closure due to the poor state of its infrastructure, and the animals will be transferred to a new venue.
This proposal responds to a request from the Island Corporation addressing the decline in the condition of this regional shelter, which services the metropolitan area (Santa Cruz, La Laguna, Tegueste, and El Rosario). The respective local councils were asked to assist in seeking a new site that would enhance the care of abandoned animals and improve the working conditions for the professionals dedicated to their welfare.
In this regard, Tarife mentioned that “this centre is overwhelmed and lacks sufficient space to house the animals under optimal conditions, which is why it is essential to open a new facility in a different location. We have suggested to the Cabildo that this should be sited in the Southwest, where land is available, and it is now up to the island institution to reach a decision.” However, while waiting for the new metropolitan shelter to move forward, the city council has opted to commence the construction of another animal shelter, dedicated solely to cats.
The Animal Welfare department is responsible for managing the cat colonies in the municipality, and there are currently about 85 procedures underway for the establishment of new colonies; one with permanent authorisation; 34 colonies with provisional authorisation (pending identification and sterilisation of their members); and 26 that do not yet have provisional authorisation due to pending documentation corrections but do have permission for identification and sterilisation. Additionally, according to the latest data from the veterinary clinic where these felines undergo sterilisation, approximately 800 cats have been treated.
The councillor stated that, “thanks to these authorisations, Santa Cruz is able to manage these animals that reproduce very rapidly and can pose a problem if such initiatives are not implemented.” Furthermore, Carlos Tarife added that “the approval for these cat colonies necessitates not only the care and feeding of the animals, but that those granted authorisation must report on the status of the population.”
