The President of the Ponta Delgada Municipal Chamber, Pedro Nascimento Cabral, and the Vice-President, Pedro Furtado, accompanied the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Food, António Ventura, on a visit to the Official Collection Center for Companion Animals of Ponta Delgada (CRO). During the visit, the annual investment of around half a million euros made by the Municipality in this area was highlighted.
Pedro Nascimento Cabral stated that "there has been a decrease in the number of animals handed over to the Collection Center, resulting from a consistent policy of promoting animal welfare, awareness campaigns for sterilization and identification, and the annual investment of about half a million euros in this Official Collection Center." He also mentioned the recent recognition by the Dean of the Order of Veterinarians, Pedro Fabrica, who considered the CRO of Ponta Delgada an example to be followed.
The municipal president also announced the creation of a dog park at the CRO facilities, "equipped with adequate structures for animals to exercise and play safely and freely," considering it "another important step in the work we have been developing for animal welfare."
António Ventura, Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Food, expressed "a good impression" of the facilities, stating that the CRO of Ponta Delgada "is a good example of the application of welfare measures for companion animals." He mentioned that the center has annually applied for support for sterilization and identification, and more recently for infrastructure improvements, highlighting the "good results achieved, namely the significant decrease in the number of animal entries."
António Ventura also acknowledged that the Municipality of Ponta Delgada "gives greater political attention to animal welfare, promotes more awareness actions, and has a more consolidated path in this area," developing awareness initiatives even before the implementation of public policies.
The CRO of Ponta Delgada performs around 1,200 sterilizations per year and currently houses 96 dogs and 14 cats, awaiting new families.
