The Algarve mayors’ group, AMAL, has decided the best thing for the region’s abandoned cats and dogs is to create two super-kennels, one east and one west, paid for by all the councils.
The government’s new animal welfare laws decree that each council area must have a municipal kennel and vet and imposes strict rules that will decrease dramatically the current number of dogs put down each year in Portugal, an estimated 100,000.
The mayors see the insistence of ‘one kennel per council’ as inefficient and are happy to club together to fund just two large kennels, one being in Alcoutim, the other to be in the eastern Algarve in a location to be decided.
AMAL is to go ahead with a financial study to evaluate the feasibility of building two Intermunicipal Kennels to serve the region.
According to AMAL, these two kennels will solve a major problem that affects the region – caring for the high number of animals abandoned in the streets and offering a pleasant place for people to come and choose an animal for adoption.
The Alcoutim facility will be on land to be donated by the council in a relatively isolated area, “so as not to cause discomfort to those in the vicinity" and will serve the councils between Loulé and Alcoutim.
The location of the second unit, on the western side of the region, has not been decided but is likely to be in the Aljezur council area.
The mayors' group does not make clear what will happen to existing council kennel facilities but it can be assumed they will be wound down when the super-kennels are opened.
"This new infrastructure, besides solving an emerging problem for the defence of animals, is bringing more jobs to Alcoutim and addresses a key issue that concerns everyone," said Osvaldo Gonçalves, President of Alcoutim council.
AMAL states that, "the management (and cost) of these units will be shared by the municipalities for each of the zones where the kennels will be installed, and the mayors have demonstrated a great collaborative and committed attitude by presenting this project as a model for the region."
“This represents a major contribution in reducing the number of abandoned animals in the Algarve and consequently the preservation of public health of the Algarve community and of the visitors who come every day to the south of the country," reads the AMAL statement.
The new animal welfare laws apply to councils and state that council vets have to sterilise animals in council care (within 15 days) before trying to find suitable new owners.
Cats can be released back onto the streets after they have been sterilised if the council facilities are overcrowded. If the animal is seriously ill or vicious, killing it ‘will be considered’ at the newly named Animal Collection Centres.
By reducing the number of abandoned animals that are put down each year, there will be close to 100,000 more for re-homing.
