Unidos por Lanzarote y La Graciosa denounces the "worrying situation" of the application of Law 7/2023, on the protection of the rights and welfare of animals, in the seven municipalities of Lanzarote and demands that all their town councils demonstrate, with documents, budgets, and results, that they are fulfilling the obligations imposed on them by state legislation.
The party considers that the time has come to put an end to an institutional contradiction that is difficult to justify to the citizens: administrations that demand compliance with the rules from residents under threat of financial penalties, while they do not prove that they themselves are fully complying with their own obligations."
The recent statements by an Animal Welfare councilor of the City Council have brought to the fore a problem that Unidos por Lanzarote considers to be of "island-wide scope".
The councilor acknowledged that applying all the requirements of the Animal Welfare Law in a single budget year would be economically unviable for his City Council.
For Unidos por Lanzarote, these statements "deserve a response that goes far beyond the municipality of Teguise".
"What is happening in Arrecife, Tías, San Bartolomé, Yaiza, Tinajo, and Haría? Can their mayors and councilors demonstrate that they are complying 100% with their corresponding obligations? Where are the censuses, programs, sterilizations, protocols, budgets, and public evaluations? From our party, we do not accept that the lack of financial resources be used as a permanent justification to postpone the responsibilities of institutions, while citizens continue to be subject to demands and possible sanctions," they point out.
Seven town councils, one law, and the same obligations
Law 7/2023 establishes specific responsibilities for local administrations, particularly regarding the management of feline colonies.
"We are not talking about voluntary actions or initiatives that may depend exclusively on the political will of each councilor. We are talking about legal obligations that include, within the corresponding area of competence":
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The development and implementation of cat colony management programs.
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The census and population control of community cats.
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The identification through microchip and sterilization of these animals.
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Healthcare and corresponding veterinary programs.
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The development of action protocols on private properties.
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The prevention and resolution of neighborhood conflicts.
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Citizen training, information, and awareness campaigns.
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The evaluation and communication of results and the monitoring of actions taken.
Unidos por Lanzarote demands that the seven town councils publicly demonstrate the degree of compliance with each of these obligations because "it is not enough to announce campaigns, hold conferences, take photographs with animals, or make institutional declarations about animal welfare."
"Animal welfare is not demonstrated with photographs or speeches. It is demonstrated by complying with the law," they point out.
With what moral authority do they fine citizens?
Unidos por Lanzarote raises a question they consider "fundamental for the credibility of public institutions."
"How can an administration penalize a neighbor for issues related to their animals, nuisances, noise, or coexistence, if that same administration has not adopted the measures that legally correspond to it to prevent and resolve certain conflicts? How can a citizen be forced to bear the consequences of poorly managed cat colonies, cats entering private properties, or coexistence problems arising from situations that require municipal intervention?" they ask.
"Is it reasonable to demand accountability exclusively from the neighbor when the administration itself may have contributed to the problem due to a lack of action?"
There cannot be a hard line for citizens and a soft line for administrations
Therefore, Unidos por Lanzarote proposes that the seven town councils adopt a public commitment to refrain from imposing sanctions for situations directly caused by deficiencies in municipal management, provided that legislation allows for such action.
Likewise, "we demand that files be reviewed in which there are indications of administrative inaction, lack of response to citizen complaints, or absence of municipal measures that have contributed to the sanctioned events."
"This proposal does not intend to leave animals unprotected or allow situations of abandonment, mistreatment, or danger. It intends to prevent citizens from ending up paying the consequences of possible breaches by those who have the obligation to manage public services," they assure.
"The responsibility cannot always fall on the same person: the citizen," they continue.
The Cabildo of Lanzarote must also assume its role
Unidos por Lanzarote also extends this demand to the Island Council. Law 7/2023 provides that local administrations can seek support from the island councils for the fulfillment of their obligations.
Therefore, the island institution must play an active role in cooperation, technical assistance, and coordination, within its competencies. "We cannot accept that each municipality faces in isolation a problem that affects the entirety of Lanzarote and La Graciosa," they say.
"We demand a true island plan to support compliance with legislation, with funding, veterinary collaboration, homogeneous criteria, and public monitoring of results. We do not need more meetings to talk about animal welfare. We need to know how much is invested, what is being done, and what results are achieved," they state.
Unidos por Lanzarote demands responsibilities and transparency
Our party announces that it will formally request information from the seven town halls of Lanzarote on their feline colony management programs, censuses, budgets, veterinary contracts, actions taken, neighborhood conflict protocols, and compliance evaluations.
Likewise, it will request information on sanctioning procedures related to animals and coexistence, through statistical data that allows us to know their volume, nature, and outcome, respecting personal data protection.
The objective is simple: to verify documentarily to what extent each administration is complying with what it demands of its citizens.
"If there are breaches, we will demand their correction and will study the appropriate administrative and legal avenues to claim responsibilities," they defend.
"The mayors are not above the law"
The president of Unidos por Lanzarote y La Graciosa, Laureano Álvarez Delgado, expresses the party's position: "The seven mayors of Lanzarote must understand something very simple: the Animal Welfare Law is also for them. They cannot use the law to demand and sanction residents while excusing themselves with a lack of budget to fulfill their own obligations."
"With what face can a citizen who has problems with their animals or with neighborly coexistence be fined, when the City Council has not been able to solve situations that are within its competence? Who fines the City Council when it fails to comply? Who demands accountability from the mayor or the councilor who does not do their job?"
And he adds: "We will not accept the Administration becoming a sanctioning machine while residents continue to wait for solutions. If one hundred percent compliance is demanded from the citizen, one hundred percent must also be demanded from those who govern."
Unidos por Lanzarote recalls that animal welfare "must be compatible with citizens' rights to rest, tranquility, security, and enjoyment of their properties."
The protection of animals and the rights of people should not be in conflict. It is up to the administrations to adopt effective measures to guarantee both.
One last question to the seven mayors
From Unidos por Lanzarote y La Graciosa, "we address a public question to those responsible in Arrecife, Teguise, Tías, San Bartolomé, Yaiza, Tinajo, and Haría":
"Can you guarantee and demonstrate documentarily that your city councils fully comply with the Animal Welfare Law? If the answer is affirmative, publish the documentation. If the answer is negative, explain what outstanding obligations you have, why they have not been met, and when you plan to do so. And in the meantime, review your sanctioning policies to prevent any citizen from being unjustly punished for the consequences of deficient municipal management. Because laws were not made only to fine residents. They were also made to oblige rulers to fulfill their responsibilities," they conclude.
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