Marbella Town Hall has officially approved a new program to regulate the management of stray cat colonies within the municipality. The program, which aims to control the feeding and protection of these animals, was approved during a council meeting on April 15. Alejandro González, the councilor for health, emphasized that while many people currently feed abandoned cats in various areas, this activity will now be regulated.
Volunteers who wish to continue feeding the cats will be required to submit an application form, available from April 23 on the town hall’s website and at citizen service offices. The form will include a declaration of responsibility. Applicants must be over 18 years old, registered on the town hall’s census, and agree to follow the town hall’s guidelines for feeding the cats. “We request that volunteers use dry food and maintain hygiene,” González explained. The application must also include a photocopy of the applicant’s ID card.
Those who apply will need to attend a mandatory training session before receiving a license to feed the cats. “We have set up an evaluation committee with collaborators who will serve as the link between the town hall and the volunteers. The committee includes Silvia Zamora, who has been managing this task for some time, and Bettina Pietsch, president of Triple A, the animal shelter with which we have partnered on this program,” González said.
Applicants will be asked to indicate the location where they usually feed the cats on a map of Marbella. The town hall’s health department will then assess whether the site meets legal and safety requirements. The program will not allow feeding in private areas unless approved by a residents’ association or at the entrances to schools or parks.
“If necessary, new feeding sites will be identified. Once the colony’s location is approved, two individuals—an owner and a substitute—will be assigned to care for the cats. They will receive an official card with their photo, name, and a QR code that links to the town hall’s official decree,” González added.
The town hall has been working for years to manage abandoned animals, using the CER system (Control, Sterilization, and Return) in collaboration with Triple A animal shelter. The town hall allocates 100,000 euros annually to this partnership.
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