Spain introduces national registry for pets
The system aims to reduce the number of lost and abandoned animals in Spain
It’s almost a year and a half since Spain introduced its pioneering Animal Welfare Law and while many of the rules took effect immediately, several were left on the back-burner while the finer details were ironed out. One such measure is the central registry for pets which includes dedicated ID numbers for all animals.
After a long wait, the government has announced this week that the state system for registering cats, dogs and ferrets will finally be launched. This initiative has several vital aims, not least of which is cutting down on the huge number of abandoned and lost pets in Spain, the highest in Europe.
The announcement was made by Rosa Martínez, Secretary of State for Social Rights, who stressed that “an identified animal is a protected animal.”
Under the Animal Welfare Law, all dogs, cats and ferrets have to be microchipped by law but each autonomous community has its own method of keeping track of pets. The new system will be nationwide, so all of the vital information, such as the name and address of the owner, microchip details, medical history etc, will be available to vets up and down the country.
In practical terms, this means that if your pet goes missing far from home, he can be quickly and easily returned to you. In addition, if your animal requires veterinary treatment when you’re on holiday, for example, the attending vet will be able to see all of his treatment history at a glance.
Before the new registry is entered into the law, the government has opened up a 15-day public consultation period to gather opinions and ideas from organisations, veterinary associations, animal protection groups and citizens interested in the regulation of the identification system.
Image: Freepik
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