CAT PLAGUE IN SEGOVIA: Exclusive Interview with Councillor Torquemada
In recent years, the City of Segovia has faced a cat epidemic which nowadays reaches an estimate of 2500 stray cats, distributed in different colonies throughout the city. Until now, people were helping out without regulation and official control. To change this, the City Council’s Council of Social Services have set in motion an action protocol with the aim of reducing the colonies of street cats, since they generate public health concerns and discomfort complaints amongst Segovians.
Andres Torquemada Luengo, Councillor for Social Services, Equality, Health and Consumption in Segovia’s City Council kindly agreed to an interview to explain and clarify the protocol and the existing problem of the stray cats.
(The quotes have been translated from Spanish)
The Problem
"The problem has been around for a long time. Regardless of the fact that this year the CES (Capture, Sterilization, Release), protocol has been officially launched, this practice has been with us since 2008, using this to prevent them from proliferating indiscriminately,” said Torquemada.
The colonies are distributed throughout the city, but the bigger ones are located in rural zones.
The Protocol
The protocol is possible thanks to long-term collaborations La Gatera, the Association of defense for animals in Segovia, and accredited veterinary clinics. It works in the following way,
“By means of trap cages, the volunteers who previously know the colonies and generate confidence with the cats by giving them the food, capture them. Animals move to veterinary clinics, then the cat is sterilized. A small cut on the side of the ear is made as a mark to know it has been sterilized,” explained the Councillor.
Torquemada explained the importance is on the animal’s life.
“Sacrifice is the last thing that is shuffled, this is only in extreme situations in which the animal is suffering,” insisted Torquemada and followed up to explained their principles.
Sterilization is the most effective action to avoid overpopulation, ensure animal welfare and avoid the environmental problems that cause its proliferation. A cat is identified and registered in the system. Then, it is returned to its colony.
“When all the cat’s colony members are sterilized and properly marked, caretakers are in charge of that colony. Only these collaborators can feed the street cats and take care of them. This is what the population needs to be made aware of,” remarked Torquemada.
The municipality has allocated a budget of fifteen thousand euros to proceed with the development of this initiative and includes the cost of veterinary clinics; sterilizations, intervention (antibiotics, medication), campaigns, and specific training for volunteers and collaborators.
Collaborators
In the protocol it is established that only the authorized “collaborators,” named by the City Council,l can feed the cats. Currently, there are 45 people who altruistically and voluntarily are responsible for caring for the colonies. They can be identified with an accreditation card. Their responsibilities include; feeding dry food and water, the collection of waste and avoiding dirt.
Torquemada explained that these collaborators have already had informative sessions and will in the future have workshops and training.
“The protocol was needed because volunteers were doing it already without organization and regularization,” he pointed out and added,
“They go to see the cats every day, as the food and water is a daily need. But, they also have to control if another cat comes from another place, to quickly proceed with the capture and then contact the clinics for the CES protocol. This way the reproduction cycle does not begin again,” commented Torquemada.
According to Torquemada and the Council of Social Services, anyone can become a collaborator. They have to show interest and request it through the electronic headquarters of the City Council’s Council of Social Services or in person at Marques del Arco 22.
Hopes for the future
The Councillor told us that what is intended is to achieve control and stability. Therefore, the collaborators initiative will continue as a means to control the overpopulation issue permanently.
“We have thought of maybe creating an area… a special garden for cats, with booths, games ... there are models from other cities that can be extrapolated to Segovia and we find them interesting, but for the present time the idea is to continue with the controls.” remarked Andres Torquemada.
Remarks: Petition to all citizens
The Council expressed the success of the protocol depends exclusively on the collaboration and direct participation of the volunteers and the citizens of Segovia.
“These areas are controlled by a person who knows how to act. Nobody has to approach, feed or do anything since they are controlled and being taken care of. There are already people involved, veterinary clinics, associations… together with the posters that are going to be placed showing the controlled colonies. All we ask for is just respect,” said Andres Torquemada.
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