‘Kennel’ as been cited for animal mistreatment
A kennel in the parish of Canedo, Santa Maria da Feira, already notorious for “deplorable conditions”, is still taking in strays.
Lusa reports that animal rights activists ComRaça visited the kennel recently, to find “several animals roaming the public road with open wounds, flies, parasites and some in an advanced state of thinness”, as well as several dogs “caged in very precarious conditions”.
This was by no means ComRaça’s first visit. A posting over social media explains that it has been trying (in vain) to force changes to this miserable reality since 2018.
One of the association’s concerns is over WHY the kennel continues to take in animals. It is common knowledge that the people (in charge) “participate in sending animals to foreign countries.
“It is becoming increasingly clear and evident that there is a mafia well-established in the cause of animal welfare, with dubious unspoken intentions”, says ComRaça. “People, entities and associations are involved in schemes that would never cross our minds”.
Ana Pinto Costa is a representative of ComRaça. She told Lusa how there is already a complaint regarding mistreatment, and the ‘death of pets’, filed, with a trial scheduled for December.
The kennel is run by non-governmental association DZG Canedo – more specifically by Berta Brazão and Dick Leegwater, “who stopped updating DZG Canedo’s Facebook page and now publicise their work on a Dutch-language website called ‘Animal Rescue Canedo’ with social networks under the same name”, writes Lusa which says it too has asked Santa Maria da Feira town council for clarification, to be told that officials continue to monitor the situation, but expect it will continue “until legal measures are taken to put an end, once and for all, to these recurrences”.
ComRaça’s concern nonetheless saw authorities remove a number of animals from Canedo last week, following the visit by activists, in the company of PAN Porto.
The animals were taken to a veterinary clinic “to assess their health conditions” and later transported to the municipal kennel” – but this does not ensure a definitive solution for all the others.
“The town hall is aware that this is a situation that will not stop until the competent authorities take legal measures that put an end, once and for all, to these recurrences”, a source for the municipality repeated, without specifying which entities should be held responsible or what measures will be necessary.
Lusa stresses that it has contacted the kennel managers, but has not yet received a response.
ComRaça however has ended its latest highly emotional social media postings, saying: “For our part, we tried. We will keep trying as long as we have the strength. Change depends on all of us and we are grateful for the help that was promptly given to us. With certain WALLS in the way, the animals’ salvation is far from being reached”.
While PAN Porto posted a distressing clip of the conditions animals are being kept in: click here, ComRaça has also given a background post to this story:
“Shame is the watchword that defines (our visit) today.
“Since 2018, there has been a process underway, every year dozens of animals are removed at a time, we have already removed corpses, we have evidence after evidence, entities that are always called and in the summer of 2024 we continue with this situation STILL UNRESOLVED .
“UNTIL WHEN?
“How many more animals need to die?
“We are tired of being the ones who have to travel from far away to get something done, we are TIRED.
“Today, 6 baby/young animals were removed for association and 3 more weakened adult animals were removed by the town hall.
“According to information from @icnf_oficial, they will continue the case from here. We’ll be here to see.
“Councillors, aren’t you ashamed?
“Aren’t you ashamed that Canedo is defined by mentally decompensated people and hoarders?
“There are illegal associations and kennels that are closed almost overnight and this joke continues in the open for everyone to see FOR YEARS!
Until when councillors? Until when @icnf_oficial?
For anyone who wants to give the council a word:
cabinet.ambiente@cm-feira.pt
presidency@cm-feira.pt
veterinario.municipal@cm-feira.pt
This is getting RIDICULOUS”.
Fortunately this story is now being carried by multiple news outlets. The silly season has allowed the ‘ridiculous’ to get the airtime it requires. ND
Source material: LUSA/ ComRaça facebook page
