New Animal Protection Laws in Spain - Page 2

Last weekend I met several campervanners from the UK in Dungarvan, a town not too far from the ferry port of Rosslare. Dungarvan has learnt the positives of welcoming campervanners to the town and has set up free "plinths" on the waterfront to facilitate the "new" tourism. We live not too far from Dungarvan and I invited some of the UK people to visit our village on their return journey. Last night and early today I noticed campervans around and I renewed acquaintances and made some new ones also. They even helped in our Tidy Towns Committee this morning too. 

I showed some of them this thread and most are in favour of the Matt's Mobile Convoy led by El Sombrero (with new bright livery)  for Spain later this year. Vera Playa, Mojacar Playa, Garrucha, Macenas, and  Carboneras appear to us where we are not wanted. Consequently, I've now targeted Oria as our main destination where we can spend a few weeks in peace.  

Some of the "vanners" have dogs and one of them (from Surrey and a Brexiteer; well nobody's perfect!)  has come up with repaying the kind people of Oria by letting their dogs roam where there is a feral cat problem. I look forward to meeting Jenni and her dogs when we descend on the town. Nothing like local information to ferret out these feral cats. 

In retaliation to the unwelcoming people of the places mentioned above we'll won't be spending any of our money in their towns.  Oria stands to gain and deserves our visit.

Well Matthew, I certainly hope this is a wind up, because although I cant speak for everyone in the village, I do know quite a few that would not welcome a convoy of camper vans in our quiet peaceful village, I cant even think where you would park, and as for letting dogs roam free, think again, We do not have a feral cat problem.

How about driving further south and crossing over into Morocco with your new found friends, having been there several times, the Morrocan people are very friendly and would welcome your pennies and you could just about park anywhere and let your dogs roam free. you could then even go further field into Algeria, Tunis Libya all of which have 1000's of acres of dessert where you could park and let your dogs roam free and if you just go straight without turning left or right you could even reach South Africa and just carry on and drop into the sea.  I am sure you get my point by now. If you have any trouble planning your trip just say I will be pleased to help.

Jenni, You're all heart and for that alone Oria would be a friendly destination for us where we could have ourselves based. Furthermore, we could have your suggested campaign in north Africa in a later year. Get Oria ready, we'll be on our way and those coastal towns will bemoan our absence.

The convoy could do day trips to the coast. I presume the ban on parking there is overnight parking rather than daytime temporary parking. Palomares is the first place I would have the convoy visit. Plenty of space, friendly locals and helpful cafe staff. 

Hi Rich,

I commend you on your commitment to this. Sadly I think you will have a hard job in Spain, myself and a few friends tried the TNR scheme and with the help of the great vet in a small town (Pinoso) had it going really well, and then the mayor of the village (Torre del Rico) stepped in, complained to the mayor in the main town and that was it, we were all warned that if we continued to  feed, or Neutering the  ferel cats  we would be arrested. So undeterred we started up again in a village out of the jurisdiction of the mayor and within 3 weeks the same happened again. We complained to the Mayor and had the vets backing, but to no avail, their reasoning was 'the cats kept the rats at bay.  I have lived in Spain for 12 years and have seen about 3 rats in all that time. So a feeble excuse. Its doesn't take 1000's cats to keep the rat population down.

I wish you well and I hope you every success, but unfortunately Spain is very much a 4th world country when it comes to animals, they have set all these new laws, but they wont be upheld by the local police or Garda. They might go and 'have a word' but the local farmer will still have his dog tied up 24/7 with no shelter the hunters will still just dump their dogs. Us British have our dogs  chipped (and in my case also my cats chipped,)  because its the law, but I can tell you that the rural farmers dont  bother and nothing is done about them. 

So thank you for trying to do something and I hope you are more successful than we were.

Regards  Jenni

I think it’s very unfair on both Guardia Civil and Policía Local to assume they won’t do anything.  It could well be that prior they did not have sufficient authority to act - it’s one thing to have a law, but authorities to enforce that law are also needed and without them, the law is toothless.  The whole legislative framework has had a thorough overhaul, with many of the laws being aimed fairly and squarely at those that do abandon animals, either by the road, in a Campo or in a bin - there are separate sections aimed right at that.

Give Guardia Civil some credit - how many other countries have a line set up to authorities specifically to report animal abuse?  I’m not talking RSPCA here who are themselves often hamstrung, but directly to authorities with powers to seize, arrest, detain and prosecute? (Again limited ability by RSPCA to do some of that)

Your entitled to your opinion Dario, but I speak from experience, do you?

“Experience” only counts when you are measuring against an unchanged set of values.

With new laws, and new authorities available, “experience” can only be gained by observing actions under new protocols.  They come into effect early 2023 (allowing for a period of public education) … in two years, “experience” will maybe count for something as regards the actions of the authorities.

Right now, unfortunately, it means diddly squat.

Dario is right and we as  people should not be depending on La Guardia Civil (or Policía Local) to be doing our "dirty work."  With some exceptions we all have common sense on what is clean and what is unclean. Unfortunately, from experience when one calls out the unclean human cretins that wilfully allow pollution in the towns and countryside they seem to get slaughtered by the unclean brigade who see nothing wrong with their animals leaving their poops all over the place. Then there is the brigade that insists on feeding feral cats. These human monuments to lowlife appear to do this to try to look good, but in fact the real reason is to keep the ferals away from their own apartment complex. 

It's about time the good people of Spain stood up and be counted against such dreadful behaviour. Is it too much to ask dog owners to keep their animals on lead while in public areas? What is the big deal in not feeding feral cats? Do waiting staff in restaurants know that it is unhealthy to to almost make love to an animal and tend to tables without even washing of hands? Common Sense dictates that an animal not fully in control of its minder is a potential lethal living weapon, but how do you get this across to the screwballs who don't care?

This thread Matthew is about the New Laws re animal cruelty.   Not your personal cause on your likes and dislikes. Which you have aired many many many times and is now very very boring.  Why do you bring everything back to yourself. 

Thanks for pointing out the fact that I object to (i) Animals being allowed to roam outside the control of their owners in public places and sometimes are allowed to terrorise people who use the same public facilities (ii) I make no apology for my condemnation of animals being allowed to defecate in public areas with the potential to cause disease/illness to people. Their uncaring owners don't seem to want to clean up after their animals.  (iii) The feeding of feral cats by some people merely to keep the ferals away from their residence while inflicting the cats and potential to cause disease and illness on innocent people is distasteful at least. (iv) I do have objections to restaurant/bar staff handling animals stupidly and continuing to wait on tables without at least washing their hands and in some cases their faces. 

Animals have rights too and I am glad to see the new laws will be enforced. Even a five year old child knows to have a friend you must be a friend. It's the same with animal lovers and they too must be a friend to have a friend. Unfortunately, many of them appear not to give a whit about the concerns of anybody else thereby relinquishing the right of friendship from good people.

To answer your last question:- This is a public forum and people are invited to air their opinion on various subjects and this is something I do regularly. Are you saying people are not entitled to their opinions?