Faro already has an Official Collection Center that will allow «to give a better quality of life to stray animals» in the municipality. Inaugurated this Monday, January 16th, the space will accommodate up to 120 dogs and 70 cats that will be treated with all dignity there.
This was a project «requested for a long time by the population», in the words of Rogério Bacalhau, mayor of Faro.
There was a first project, in 2014, for land in Patacão, but that had to be abandoned. The municipality ended up choosing another location, on land it owned, in the Medronhal area, Guilhim (Estoi).
It was there that the Official Animal Collection Center was inaugurated this Monday, a space with conditions to “collect abandoned animals” and which cost around 1,4 million euros.
«Fortunately, in the city we don't have many, but, in the rest of the municipality, there are sometimes even packs of dogs that cause problems», assumed Rogério Bacalhau.
Before, “we were unable to collect and treat them because many of these animals will arrive here sick, with wounds. Now, they can be treated here, recovered and even returned to the population », he added.
Anyone who wants to can also adopt dogs and cats that are at the Official Collection Centre.
The space has a nucleus destined to animals for adoption, an area for animals in quarantine, 16 collective cells for cats and a kennel area with 42 collective boxes.
The infrastructure also has outdoor circulation areas, as well as administrative and treatment areas and veterinary medicine.
Ruben Jerónimo, municipal veterinarian, is responsible for the Official Animal Collection Centre.
Speaking to journalists, he explained that, from now on, it will no longer be necessary to collect the animals and "send them to a service clinic" because they can be treated in this new space.
«We will continue to rely on partner associations and kennels, but here will be the first point», he said.
«Now, we can receive these animals and respond more quickly: bring them here where they will receive the first treatments and then serve the time they have to do. If they do not have identification, which is still the case with many animals, they spend the 15 days with us, do the identification, the mandatory rabies vaccination, are sterilized and sent for adoption», he added.
For now, there are already seven “resident” dogs in this new space.
Photos: Pedro Lemos | Sul Informação and Chamber of Faro
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