PALMA
IT looks as if the Centro Canino's long fight to stay open is finally over after a judge lifted an injunction yesterday on Palma council proceeding with the closure of the animal refuge.
The President of the Centro Canino, Juan Gil, said the ruling was not good news but pointed out that the court had shown much sensitivity in attaching two conditions to its judgement.
According to Gil, these conditions demand that the council takes responsibility for the animals that are currently being looked after at the Centro Canino and that they are transported to the municipal dog pound at Son Reus or another centre.
They can under no circumstances have them put down, said Gil.
The court took into account a number of complaints from local residents in the neighbourhood of Es Pillari, where the Centro Canino is located, relating to the noise and nuisance derived from having the centre located close to their houses.
However, it ruled that this could not mean that the animals would be put down.
Yesterday evening staff and supporters of the Centro Canino came together to decide their next step.
The Centro Canino now has 15 days in which to lodge an appeal against the decision with the High Court in the Balearics.
In the meantime, the council is free to begin the process of removing the animals from the Centro Canino whenever it chooses to do so.
Julie Ford, the Vice President of the Centro Canino, said that the court ruling prevented the centre from adopting out animals for the moment.
There are about 40 dogs, 18 cats, one donkey and ducks and hens at the centre.
Some of the dogs are regarded by staff at the centre as their pets and would not be able to be adopted in any case.
For us, it's definitely not the end, said Ford. We'll fight for as long as we have to.
It's not what we want. We have been fighting for so many years. We have done everything we possibly can so far.
She said the centre was continuing to receive support from across the world.
Meanwhile, Juan Gil, the President of the Centro Canino, has announced on the animal refuge's website that he is standing for election to the national Senate on March 9 as a member of the Anti-Bullfighting Party against the Maltreatment of Animals (PACMA).
Carmen Rojas of the Protectora de Animales de Palma is contesting the elections to the Congress of Deputies for the same party.
No comments
To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in
Currently there are no comments.