The Teguise City Council informs citizens of the discovery of toxic substances in animals that died in La Graciosa, following analyses carried out by the Toxicology Service of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Toxicological tests have confirmed the presence of Oxamyl, a highly toxic agricultural insecticide banned in the European Union since May 2023. Boscalid, a fungicide, has also been detected, and in the case of the dog, anticoagulant rodenticides such as Brodifacoum and Bromadiolone, restricted by European regulations. The concentrations detected are consistent with lethal poisoning.
The mayoress of Teguise, Olivia Duque, expressed her strong concern about what happened in La Graciosa, a unique and protected natural environment. "We cannot tolerate behaviors that threaten animal life and environmental balance. From the City Council, we strongly condemn these acts and ask for maximum citizen collaboration to clarify what happened."
For his part, the Councilor for Animal Welfare, Ginés González Suárez, explained that since April 18, several dead animals have been located on the eighth island, including cats and a dog. "The Local Police of Teguise and the Animal Welfare area activated the corresponding protocols, including the alert to the Canary Islands Government's Vigilance Network and collaboration with the Island Council of Lanzarote," he pointed out.
"Thanks to the Island Council of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, two environmental agents were urgently activated who, together with the Canine Anti-Poison Unit of the Ministry of the Environment, through Gesplan, searched for possible toxins responsible for the death of the cats and the dog," he indicated.
The City Council is already working in a coordinated manner with the other administrations to identify the origin of the substances and prevent this type of event from happening again. "Our commitment to animal welfare and environmental conservation is absolute. We ask the residents of La Graciosa to be alert and to communicate with the Local Police or the Environmental Agents if they detect any suspicious behavior or signs of new cases," he insisted.
The Government group recalls the express prohibition of the use of this type of chemical product in protected natural spaces such as La Graciosa, as well as the importance of responsible ownership of companion animals. Likewise, owners are urged to exercise extreme vigilance to prevent their pets from coming into contact with possible toxic substances or food remains abandoned on public roads.
