The images are shocking for several reasons: because they show scrawny horses, almost dying of hunger and thirst, but above all because, year after year, they are repeated in Lagoa.
António Félix's seven horses and mares, released on a private plot of land at the entrance to Lagoa, next to the Secondary School, returned to flood, since last week, the social networks and there is even, on Facebook, a page called «Stop Antonio Felix». But, it seems, no one can stop him.
The Municipality of Lagoa, the target of most criticism on social networks, has just issued a statement in which it emphasizes that the Municipalities do not have "any legal competence for this purpose", being the DGAV (General Directorate of Food and Veterinary - Directorate of Food and Veterinary Services of the Algarve Region) «the entity that, by law, has the power to remove large animals from the owners, in situations that it sees fit».
Even without legal competence to intervene in the case, and after last Saturday's complaint, an "immediate intervention" was made, which took to the ground the SEPNA (GNR's Nature and Environment Protection Service) of Silves, the GNR of Lagoa and the Municipality of Lagoa, «in the sense of ascertaining the status of equidae».
During this operation, the municipal veterinarian “detected a malnourished mare and, immediately, the municipality of Lagoa provided food and water”. The animal was supposed to be removed from the site on Monday, by the Veterinary Authority, but at least this morning it was still there.
The horses, to what the Sul Informação he found on the spot, they are placed on a plot of land at the entrance to the city of Lagoa, where, at this time of year, there is only dry pasture, and which does not have any trees or any other form of shade. Nor was any drinking fountain or bucket of water visible. The land does not belong to the owner of the animals, but is lent to him to place the horses there.
The Lagoon local authority faces "with regret" the criticisms made to it and which, underlined in the statement, "demonstrate both the lack of knowledge of the legislation and the limitations of the municipalities' competences in this matter", or "the concern of this Municipality in the face of the problem it has accompanied over the years, unfortunately recurrent and shocking'.
«It is in a limited context given the lack of legal attributions, but always collaborating with all the entities involved, that the Municipality of Lagoa has been fighting for the resolution of this and similar situations, these with a satisfactory end, with the support of several Associations, having with the objective of striving for the well-being of any and all animals, whether or not within the sphere of its legal powers», stresses the Chamber.
Stressing once again that "the solution does not lie in the legal powers of this Municipality, but of the DGAV (Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary - Food and Veterinary Services of the Algarve Region)", the Lagoa Council clarifies that "it never happens it was alienated from the subject, quite the contrary».
This situation of mistreatment of animals is not covered by the new law, which only refers to cases of pet animals. In the case of animals for breeding or agricultural use, they can only be applied against orders. Last year, they will have been applied against orders (fines) to António Félix, but apparently without any practical effect.
O Sul Informação tried to contact the owner of the horses, but to no avail. Our newspaper has also already contacted the Algarve Region's Food and Veterinary Services Department for clarification on this matter.
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