The Asociación Somos La Voz de los Gatos has denounced Torrevieja town hall for acting, they believe, illegally in attempting to irradicate feline colonies in the town, which are protected under the new Animal Welfare Law.
According to the association, the order was given to dismantle the booth, feeder and waterer of a feline colony that is within the CER (Capture, Sterilisation and Return) program of the Torrevieja City Council. No explanations or solutions have been offered, except threats of fines to the feeder of said colony.
Last year, numerous cats from the aforementioned colony were captured and sterilised thanks to the fact that it is the point where they come to eat, since it is a very large area, and it is extremely complex to locate and capture them anywhere else. Sterilisation is the only way to keep the colonies under control and is also an obligation for the council, which must protect the feline colonies located in its territory based on the provisions of the Animal Welfare Law.
Making this point disappear will lead to the failure of the CER program and more cats will begin to appear in larger areas, many of which will become ill due to poor nutrition.
This is without prejudice to the fact that the desire to eliminate feline colonies is not protected by any law. Quite the contrary, colonies must be protected. For this reason, the Association urge the Department of Animal Protection to do its job and replace this feeding point that is key for the colony or provide alternative solutions that are viable and respectful of the legally established procedures.
