Almost 42,000 animals were captured last year, a figure that shows a slight decrease in the number of homeless animals but masks realities such as in Lisbon, where the number of abandoned animals appears to continue to rise.
Every year, thousands of animals are abandoned to their fate: in 2021, 43,603 stray animals were brought into Official Collection Centers (CROs), and last year, 41,994 animals were picked up from the street or brought to centres, according to the Nature Institute. Conservation of Environment and Forests (ICNF).
The slight decline in 2022 masks an increase of more than ten thousand animals compared to the reality observed in the CRO in 2020, and there are regional cases that go against the national trend, such as Lisbon or Torres Vedras.
Lusa analyzed the evolution of 10 random cities and two of them saw an increase in the number of animals collected between 2021 and 2022: in Torres Vedras it rose from 672 to 877 last year, and in Lisbon from 945 to 1,166 animals, according to according to ICNF.
Otherwise, there was always a decrease: in Sintra, only one less animal was collected in 2020 (out of 886) or in Santo Tirso, where the number of animals collected increased from 1,505 to 947.
Statistics point to a nationwide decline of 3.9% between 2021 and 2022, masking local realities such as Lisbon, where the number of animals caught is rising.
In a conversation with Lusa, Sofia Baptista, responsible for the Casa dos Animais de Lisboa (CAL), admitted that the upward trend may continue: “Since last year, and especially since this year, we have felt an increase in the number of requests for animals,” said the veterinarian and head of the CAL department.
The person in charge explained that among the requests for help there are cases where families have been evicted and others have faced economic difficulties: “We often feel that the owners even want to keep the animals,” especially because “more and more families are people and animals.” “.
CAL promotes the capture and handling of animals, takes action to reduce the number of abandoned animals, and promotes responsible adoption. For these missions, he relies on the help of organizations like Animalife, which has been fighting abandonment since 2011.
Animalife President Rodrigo Livreiro admitted that he is concerned about the current economic situation, which is worsening the lives of families most in need and could lead to an increase in child abandonment.
In the first half of the year alone, Animalife received “more than four thousand requests for help,” Rodrigo Livreiro said, explaining that many of them are talking about mandatory electronic identification of cats, but there are also those who are looking for help buying food for cats. animals or for other veterinary procedures.
“Some of these families struggle every day in extremely difficult conditions,” explained Rodrigo Livreiro, emphasizing that the association tries to minimize the financial impact of having pets by offering veterinary advice and food to people in particularly vulnerable situations, such as the elderly, the homeless . or victims of violence.
The association treats the animal as part of the family, so attention is paid to both the animal and the owner, who is also offered specialized support, as Animalife has created an Animal Social Development Department.
This department consists of a multidisciplinary team of specialists from social services and medical-veterinary services, which seeks solutions aimed at monitoring both at the social level and at the animal level, namely vaccination and electronic identification of animals, how to help with housing difficulties or guide them . to employment offices or appointments related to the physical and mental health of families.
Animalife currently supports 700 families with about 1,500 animals, providing 1,094 social and 756 preventive services this year alone, the president added.
In the city of Lisbon, protocols have already been signed with most of the parish councils, and this week it is the turn of the Lumiara Parish Council to join the project.
Junta do Lumiar President Ricardo Mejía told Lusa that they have already received requests from residents to provide this type of service: “We know that, unfortunately, many people are unable to provide the best health for their pets. because they don’t have the economic conditions for this.”
The mayor acknowledged that pets “are often an important support for people.”