According to the regulation on grazing animals, their permanence and circulation in public space, “are competent to supervise compliance with the provisions of this regulation, the Municipality of Olhão and its Municipal Services, the competent police authorities or other authorities to whom the law assigns such competence”.

Asked about the subject, António Pina identified the Municipality of Olhão as an example to be followed at national level regarding the efficiency of equine collection by the competent entities. However, the complaints of the population guarantee the exact opposite, ensuring that the number of undernourished, dehydrated, sick, injured, forced to work beyond their physical capacities, aggravated by the ineffective performance of the competent entities, is a sad reality witnessed daily by the Olhanense.

In the opinion of the PAN District in the Algarve, for transparency, the protocol established with the company for the collection of horses should be made public, and the local authority must clarify how many horses were collected and what purpose they were given during the period of its collection. There is also an urgent need to reinforce the means for more effective action by the authorities to safeguard the protection, health and welfare of these animals.