Of the 40,000 stray cats and dogs collected last year, only 8,873 were sterilised, 12,000 were killed off and 16,000 found new homes.The government is launching a campaign on Wednesday to support the sterilisation of homeless pets and is stumping up €500,000 for local councils with municipal collection centres, to comply with what now is a legal obligation.
Since August 2016, it has been the law that all stray animals that have ended up in council care are sterilised. Data from the 2017 annual report on animals at collection centres, published by the Directorate General for Food and Veterinary Affairs (DGAV), shows the law is a long way from being carried out.
“Only 3.6% of the animals collected were sterilized," said the People Animals Nature party’s lone MP.
The €500,000 will be available until November 30. Each council will be entitled to a maximum reimbursement of €15,000, according to the edict.
Councils that do not have kennels suitable for animals to be operated on, may use a local veterinary centre and still be reimbursed according to a new scale of credits.
The government will pay €15 per tom cat, €30 per male dog, €35 per female cat and €55 per bitch. It is hoped that this contribution will enable councils to carry out their legal obligations.
