The Animal Welfare Area of the Cabildo de Lanzarote has held this Tuesday a working meeting with the councilors responsible for animal welfare of the different town councils of the island, with the aim of reporting on the actions that are being carried out from the Area and strengthening institutional coordination in this matter.
During the meeting, various initiatives already underway were addressed, as well as new lines of action that represent a significant advance in the protection and welfare of animals on the island.
Among the main issues addressed in a meeting chaired by the Councilor for Animal Welfare of the Cabildo, Armando Santana, the organization of the First Animal Welfare Gala was highlighted, which will take place next May 14 at the Monument to the Peasant, and which is born with a charitable nature aimed at raising funds for the associations that work in this field.
Likewise, the counselor, who has stressed the importance of collaboration between administrations to continue promoting effective public policies that guarantee the welfare and protection of animals in Lanzarote, has presented to the town councils the 3rd Island Animal Welfare Fair, which will be held in the municipality of Teguise. In this regard, it was highlighted that this initiative originally had a municipal character, with the Animal Welfare Area of the Cabildo de Lanzarote being the one that, since last year, has assumed the commitment to give it an island character, expanding its scope and participation.
As part of the new actions, a sensitization and awareness program on the welfare animal aimed at the students of the island's schools will be promoted, with the objective of fostering from early ages (childhood stage) respect and responsibility towards animals.
New grants
For the first time, the Council has launched new lines of subsidies aimed at the town councils, whose bases are currently in the drafting phase, with the aim of strengthening their resources and improving local management in terms of animal welfare.
Similarly, Armando Santana reported on the creation of specific subsidy lines for associations, a historic measure that will allow strengthening the island's associative fabric, which will not only allow continuing to support the work of the SARA and Lanza Animal shelters, thus fulfilling the commitment made by councilor Armando Santana to considerably increase these aids, by 50% in the case of SARA and by 100% in the case of Lanzaanimal, but also open the door for other groups working for animal welfare on the island to access these aids.
In the case of the two mentioned animal shelters, an agreement demanded by both parties is drawn up where it is intended to provide stability and tranquility of having those economic resources for 4 years, which is the duration of said agreement.
Another of the notable advances is the implementation of the veterinary care service for people with fewer resources, facilitating access to basic care for animals of families in situations of extreme vulnerability and homeless animals.
In the regulatory sphere, the new island ordinance on the control of pyrotechnics was addressed, an initiative promoted by the counselor responsible for the Area, Armando Santana, which had the support of the Plenary Session of the Cabildo. In this regard, it was highlighted that the Cabildo of Lanzarote is, as of today, the only public administration in the Canary Islands that has decided to address this issue with the seriousness it deserves, promoting measures that contribute to protecting both animals and people affected by the uncontrolled use of pyrotechnics. At the meeting, it was agreed with the municipal officials to coordinate jointly in order to give definitive shape to this regulation, which will be accompanied by an awareness campaign.
More local coordination
Additionally, it was reported about the implementation of the island CER program (Capture, Sterilization and Return), fundamental for the ethical control of feline colonies.
Councillor Armando Santana recalled that neither Law 7/2023 on the protection of animal rights and welfare, nor the Canary Islands autonomous regulations establish a direct and concrete obligation for the island councils in this matter, unlike the municipalities, which do have specific competencies such as the control of feline colonies. However, he stressed that the Cabildo considers it essential to act from cooperation, coordination, and assistance to the municipalities, especially given the existence of a significant number of uncontrolled felines in some parts of the island. “Therefore, we are going to actively involve ourselves with tools such as the CER method,” he pointed out.
The agenda of activities is completed with the holding of the Canary Breeds Fair in Tinajo in the month of June, as well as the organization of two technical conferences in collaboration with the College of Veterinarians, one in June and another in November aimed at the training and updating of professionals in the sector, and the holding of the second Congress of Veterinarians of the island, after the launch of its first edition last year, consolidating itself as a reference space for the exchange of knowledge and good practices.
The convening of a new meeting in the month of July has been agreed upon, in which the municipal councillors will meet again in order to evaluate the degree of execution of the proposed measures and continue advancing in institutional coordination.
