The bylaw in Palma to do with animal welfare and ownership has not been updated since 2004. The coordinator at the town hall's department for animal welfare, Josep María Rigo, says that attitudes have changed a great deal over the fourteen years, that animals have more rights and that municipal services have to reflect these.
A revised bylaw is due to be introduced towards the end of this year. One significant aspect of it will have to do with fines. At present, the lowest are between 60 and 300 euros. These will rise to between 300 and 750 euros. For more serious infractions, such as mistreatment, abandonment and not picking up dog mess, there will be a range of fines from 750 to 1,500 euros. The minimum for not removing dog mess from the streets will therefore rise by 450 euros; the present band of fines is 300 to 1,500 euros. There are reckoned to be around 100,000 dogs in Palma, a fifth of which are not registered.
With regard to domestic cats, if these are on the streets as well as in homes, they will have to sterilised. Rigo stresses the importance of sterilisation for controlling the city's cat population. The town hall is meanwhile waiting for the government to pass law that will require cats to be identified (chipped) in the same ways as dogs are meant to be.
The bylaw will also set out new conditions for exotic animals, which in some instances will mean prohibition, and also for potentially dangerous animals.
A limit of 48 hours will be set for how long a dog or cat can be left alone in a property on a balcony or on a terrace. There is currently no limit. Another limit will be on the number of animals permitted in a property. In general, this will be between three and five, and the limit is in response to problems with noise and neighbourly coexistence.
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Whilst I dislike seeing dogs fouling the pavement, what is worse, I feel, is a child digging on the beach and finding heaps of mess. This is more than likely on Palmanova beach, next to the port, where a woman walks her dogs every morning between 7 and 8 am. They are allowed to run free, complete their business, which is not picked up by said owner, who then calls them and leaves the beach. Ofcourse she is not likely to be caught, but no doubt the beach will be flying a Blue flag shortly.
One gram of dog droppings contains 23 million fecal bacteria. Food for thought. The authorities do not see this as a health issue. They see it as a social issue. There are some morning when I walk down Can Savella and the term of ammonia from dogs urinating is so strong it almost knocks you over.
The only thing this bunch of loonies understand is - multa, multa y más multa!! Here up north the owners let their dogs out to foul the streets before 09.00 as they know that is when the local municipal does his rounds. And of course the dogs are always much smarter than the police!
Totally agree " Viva Espana " and " Sporty's " Comments.The frightening diseases to Humans, from Dog and Cat droppings/mess, are a serious cause for health concern. When so termed " Bugs " are occurring, and spreading rapidly among the Islands Residents. Medical Staff do not know where these diseases are developing from. I firmly believe it is from the animal mess. In the UK City's the fines are £1000.00 plus, and the 'Litter Patrols' can take action against offending owners.
I've asked EMAYA to put up waste stations several times but they don't do it. A step further that I saw in France is to provide waste bags for dog owners to pick up after their dogs. Agree that it is unpleasant with the slalom walks in some areas. One could expect more.
Unfortunately the deterrent is the likelihood of getting caught, not the amount of the fine. If there is little or no chance of getting caught, then people will not change their habits. If the council want to eradicate dog mess from the streets, then it needs to have a greater number of patrols to enforce this, which of course is never going to happen. The streets in Can Pastilla are appalling, and an evening walk always involves a slalom through the mess. The DNA test implemented in other areas is a good idea, but again, it all boils down to enforcement.
Great BUT like all these great ideas there is no-one to enforce them. In three years I have only ever once seen some-one take action.