The Tías City Council proceeded this Tuesday to seize three donkeys that the Association for the Defense against Animal Abuse of Lanzarote (Ademal) reported were "abandoned" inside a crater. "The animals were not in bad condition," said the Animal Protection Councilor, Nicolás Saavedra.
In a complaint that Ademal filed in December, it was stated that the animals were in "improper facilities" with "poor hygienic-sanitary conditions" and "risking their physical integrity." "The place is full of garbage, plastics, wood remains and excrement everywhere," the association stated, which indicated that, in addition to the three donkeys, there were also three dogs" that they saw "skinny."
"No food containers are seen," added Ademal, who pointed out that only on "one of the occasions" when he went to the place he found remains of what appeared to "be bread" and that although there was water, it was "dirty", of "an indeterminate color." In addition, the association warned of the possibility that an "infraction against land management" was being committed as it was "rustic land, protected as a landscape asset" and there were "constructions of pallets or similar."
Also, two days ago, Ademal assured that one of the dogs had disappeared and that, in view of this, he had called the Seprona of the Civil Guard.
"The situation could be better, but they were not in bad condition"
"I have reports from the Police and the veterinarian that say that the animals were not in bad condition," the Animal Councilor of Tías said this Wednesday, pointing out in this regard that the animals were actually "in a rofe extraction" that is attached next to Montaña Blanca and that they did "have food, water and shade." However, he did point out that "it is true that the reports also say that the situation could be better" and that for this reason the animals have been removed, although for the moment only the donkeys.
"They have been removed because, once we have spoken with the owner, he has no intention of improving their conditions. So, if they are not going to improve and an expert association considers that they can be improved and we can find an adopting family, that is what we are going to do," said Saavedra.
Specifically, the councilor has detailed that the donkeys do not have a microchip, when they should have one, and that therefore it is unknown if they have been vaccinated. "And if the man cannot do it, he cannot have the animals," said Nicolás Saavedra, who explained that the owner "collected" these animals "to do a favor to people who could not have them", but that he recognized "that it was going to be difficult to keep them with everything that the law indicates."
Thus, the City Council proceeded to seize the donkeys this Tuesday. "We have asked a man from San Bartolomé to keep them until we find them a definitive location of someone who knows that they will take care of them and are in good condition, that they have their vaccination and microchip," said Saavedra.
As for the dogs, however, the owner has expressed his intention to take care of them and, for the moment, "he has taken them to his house." "Today we have an appointment with him, so that he can show us the documentation. If the same thing happens to us, that they do not have a chip and vaccines and he has no intentions, we will also remove them," said the Animal Protection Councilor in this regard. "But we have never seen three dogs, only two," he said.
What Nicolás Saavedra has not been able to confirm is whether the owner of the animals would have committed any urban infraction and whether he could have the animals in that area. "What I cannot give information about, because I do not have it and I honestly do not know, is whether animals can be kept on the site, because that is no longer my responsibility, that is urban planning discipline," he said in this regard, stating that he does not even know if the man is the owner of the land.
