Adeje Launches Humane Street Cat Management Plan
Adeje has launched a new €60,000 plan to humanely manage its street cat colonies through organization, data collection, sterilization, and regulated care.
Adeje is introducing a new approach to managing its cat colonies. A new town plan aims to organize them, collect data, intervene when needed, and create a clear set of rules for everyone involved. This plan, which everyone agreed on, sets up a public system to control street cats by counting them, sterilizing them, and watching them constantly.
The city council has set aside about 60,000 euros to kickstart these first actions.
Until now, a major problem was not having accurate information about the cat population. Officials had to rely on estimates because there wasn't a reliable count. José Antonio López, the Councillor for Animal Welfare, told this newspaper yesterday that they estimate there are about fifteen colonies, each with 20 to 30 cats.
This plan was developed after an earlier study found an increase in street cats since the pandemic.
With these guidelines now set, the plan promotes humane management using the 'Capture, Sterilize, Return' (CSR) method. This approach is central to keeping cat populations stable.
Another big change involves regulating the people who care for these cats. The plan sets up a town accreditation system for those who feed and care for the colonies, establishing common standards. From now on, only authorized individuals will be allowed to feed the animals.
For the cats' health, the plan includes procedures like sterilization, mandatory microchipping (with the town council listed as owner), vaccinations, deworming, and veterinary care.
Euthanasia will only be considered in exceptional circumstances and always for humane reasons. The plan also looks at adopting out socialized cats and kittens born in colonies. This aims to reduce population numbers and prevent abandonment.