Cambiemos Orihuela will submit a motion at the next council meeting calling for a comprehensive update of the municipality’s animal welfare policy and improvements to dog exercise areas.
The proposal seeks to bring local regulations into line with current national and regional animal welfare legislation, expand facilities for pets and introduce permanent public-awareness campaigns promoting responsible ownership and more considerate use of public spaces.
Although Orihuela City Council has made several changes in recent years—including regulations governing dog-friendly beaches and the addition of a section on animals to the Municipal Public Coexistence Ordinance—Cambiemos argues that these measures have not gone far enough.
The party says the existing rules are scattered across several different ordinances, with some provisions no longer reflecting current legislation or the municipality’s social reality.
A central element of the motion is the improvement of municipal animal welfare facilities. Cambiemos Orihuela says the municipality has a significant shortage of dog parks and designated exercise areas compared with nearby towns such as Catral, Benejúzar and San Miguel de Salinas, which have invested in these facilities in recent years.
The party is calling for the creation of new dog exercise areas and the proper maintenance of open spaces already being used informally for walking and socialising dogs.
It proposes equipping these locations with secure fencing, suitable furniture, clear signs, dedicated waste bins and dog-waste bag dispensers. Where possible, drinking fountains or water points should also be installed.
Cambiemos also wants these informal exercise areas to be officially identified and designated so that they can receive suitable facilities and be used responsibly by dog owners.
The party says improved infrastructure must be accompanied by continuous education and awareness campaigns. These should encourage owners to collect dog waste, clean urine from public areas where required, respect other users of parks and gardens, and comply with all responsibilities established under animal welfare and public cleanliness regulations.
“A town that provides suitable areas for dogs to exercise and has up-to-date regulations is better equipped to demand responsible behaviour,” said Cambiemos Orihuela councillor Quique Montero.
“It also encourages dogs to use spaces specifically designed for them and helps keep parks, gardens and public areas throughout the municipality cleaner.”
