Loulé council already has announced that a disciplinary procedure is underway involving the vet at the municipal kennels and today issued a statement to update concerned parties on its actions and to complain at the use of old pictures of animals in distress.
The council statement aimed to "clarify that from day one of his term of office, the mayor Vítor Aleixo has shown great concern for the welfare of all animals and started a number of initiatives in support of animals, meeting in September 2014 with representatives of animal protection associations and individuals linked to animal welfare.
"Therefore, the Mayor is committed to improving conditions in the municipal kennel and of maintaining a close relationship and collaboration with associations.
"The mayor ordered that animals should not be put down, unless in great physical distress and on 4 October 2014, he formalised collaboration agreements with Coração100Dono, the Associação de Defesa de Animais Carenciados e Necessitados de Rua and the Associação Protetora dos Animais in order to contribute to the involvement of these NGOs in promoting initiatives aiming at the protection of abandoned animals and an improvement in their living conditions.
"The council also signed a protocol with the Associação dos Amigos dos Animais Abandonados de Loulé and gave a grant to cover the costs of maintenance and care for animals, particularly in the St. Francis of Assisi kennel.
"In the meantime, improvements in the Loulé municipal kennel were carried out in order to ease conditions.
"The mayor then started to collect information for the preparation of a new council regulation for the Life and Protection of Animals in Loulé. It is the intention that this is submitted for approval by the City Council of Loulé in April.
"The many photos that have been circulating on social networks in which animals are visibly in degrading conditions in the kennel are not current and the council does not understand why they are being used (see picture above).
"It is well known that there is an ongoing disciplinary proceeding involving the municipal vet which is not yet completed so assumptions as to the outcome are premature.
"The council wants to collaborate in the Veterinary Directorate General’s sterilisation campaign.
"Finally, a survey was made of the equipment and material necessary to improve the functioning of the municipal kennel and council employees are developing a project in order to expand and improve the care of and accommodation for animals at the kennel.
"The Municipal Council of Loulé is against any practice that undermines the welfare of animals and their rights and is making every effort to develop an animal welfare policy to improve the lives of animals, particularly cats and dogs."
Good progress then and both the council's moves and the spirited actions and petitions of the animal care organisations and their supporters may lead to real changes for the treatment of animals in this municipality.
Comments
With Portugal having sat at the the top table for 30 years and still not having a nationwide awareness that it is wrong to mistreat animals (or foreigners!) .... we cannot hope for much.
When visiting friends in Central Portugal they told us that their non-Portuguese vet had described how she was attempting to take over the 'euthanasia policy' of stray dogs in that municipality.
As the current practice was for one of the municipal employees, whoever was nearest, to just club the stray dog to death !!