According to the head of the Register, Jorge Cid, there was a 22 percent increase in the number of abandoned animals taken in by official shelters in 2017, compared to the year before, and so far this year, 14,000 animals have already been taken in.
“The number of abandonments in Portugal continues to be very expressive, a reality that leaves the Veterinary Medical Association apprehensive about the capacity of the Official Shelters to take in and treat these animals”, the veterinarians said in a statement released on the eve of International Abandoned Animal Day, which was marked last Saturday, 18 August.
And although various entities are working and ploughing every effort into responding to these figures, it is still insufficient, the Register concedes.
In the veterinarians’ view, the problem will be even worse when the law prohibiting stray animals from being put down as a form of population control comes into force in about a month.
This year, and according to data associated with the anti-rabies vaccination campaign provided by the Food and Veterinary Department, some 14,000 animals have already been taken in at Official Collection Centres (municipal kennels).
Jorge Cid believes that figure is “to a great extent” due to “disinformation with regard to the new law” which has lead to “a precipitous abandonment of animals”.
The official explained that the Register has issued a ‘veterinary-cheque’ “to help solve this problem and ensure compliance with the law, with the necessary support of the veterinary medical class”.
The vet-cheque serves to aid municipalities in caring for abandoned animals without them being put down, as well as shelters and even in needy families.
Also to this end, a network for the provision of primary health care, namely vaccines, deworming and sterilisation has been set up, which has already treated 2,000 animals in 201 health centres in 12 municipalities.
“The positive way in which the veterinary-cheque is being received and implemented reveals an important awareness among decision-makers regarding this real problem; that is animals at risk in our country”, said Jorge Cid.
In Portugal, more than half of households have at least one pet and measures have been created to promote the rights and well-being of both animals and owners.
In May of last year, animals gained a new legal status, which recognises them as living sentient beings endowed with autonomy from people and things. Until last May, animals were classified on a par with ‘things’ or ‘belongings’.
The law, however, is not consensual, since, for example, the abandonment of a dog or a cat on the doorstep of an association or a municipal kennel, during a night in the cold and rain, is punishable only if it leads the animal to serious harm that causes death or suffering for the rest of their lives. For now, abandonment without intent is a reprehensible act, but not punishable.
These measures “help combat abandonment, but unfortunately, they are still not enough”, concludes Jorge Cid.