The Department of Animal Welfare of the Arrecife City Council has begun to deliver the feline colony feeder cards to about forty people, the only ones authorized in the municipality to carry out this work.
These people received the relevant training on feline colony management last week, which was given by agents of the Animal Protection and Environment Unit of the Local Police and by staff of the Animal Welfare Center of the City Council, thus complying with current regulations.
Councilor Jacobo Lemes has highlighted the relevance of this action within the framework of the municipality's comprehensive animal welfare plan, noting that "the correct management of feline colonies is not only essential for the welfare of cats, but also to ensure good coexistence with neighbors and prevent public health problems."
The authorized feeders will also receive, from the Council, the necessary food for the cats in the colonies. "Our commitment is not only to provide tools and training, but also to provide the necessary support to caregivers, who play a fundamental role in the management of the colonies," Lemes explained.
This act is part of the work being developed in the Department to implement the Ordinance for the Management of Feline Colonies, approved in April 2024. This regulation includes, in addition to the accreditation of caregivers, measures such as the sterilization of cats, their identification by microchip and the creation of a register of colonies.
The training for these caregivers, which was held on September 24 and 25 at the Argana Baja Sociocultural Center, also included topics such as mediation with neighbors and maintenance of the colony environment, always with the aim of ensuring responsible and respectful coexistence.
Jacobo Lemes, who has stressed that there will be new training soon, insists that "these initiatives are a key tool to ensure that the management of the colonies is carried out responsibly, complying with the best practices and always seeking a balance between animal welfare and the quality of life of the citizens of Arrecife."
