Representatives of the Orihuela Costa Feline Colony Association (ASCFOC) accompanied by the president of the Resident’s Association Cabo Roig and Lomas, Mr Tomás Moreno, met in the Orihuela Town Hall recently with those responsible for the municipal Health Department.
There was an exchange of ideas to gradually control the cat colonies and improve their situation. ASCFOC provided a map with several of the main colonies that are being managed in Orihuela Costa, about 40 of them, several already controlled, but all of them still unprotected.
It was agreed that there is an urgent need for more support for the spaying and neutering of cats and for the City to raise public awareness of the role of the colonies.
The priority need for the effective control of the cat colonies is more help for castrations, this work is carried out by volunteers who urgently need the support of the town hall. Currently there is an average of 6 castrations per week for the whole of Orihuela Costa with the added difficulty of the distance to the Asoka animal shelter where the operations are carried out.
The volunteers also need the Council to inform the public of the work being done to ensure that the colonies are properly respected. The unnecessary delay in the administration’s action in this situation could lead to irreparable damage to animals protected by the law.
The association has also asked the Health Department to allocate a budget to solve the current situation, as it is not possible to achieve this through subsidies alone.
As is the case in so many other areas the Orihuela Council trails far behind neighbouring municipalities in the control of cat colonies and their maintenance.
