Forbidden pets

UNDER the new Animal Welfare Law in Spain there are certain animals that you soon won’t be able to keep at home as pets. In approximately four months this rule will be enforced.

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In Spain one in every three households has a pet, Spanish households have 15 million pets compared to 6.6 million children under the age of 15.

These pets range from dogs and cats to rabbits and even Vietnamese pigs. But under this recently approved law things are about to change, as it lists the species ‘considered invasive’ and therefore should not be kept in the home.

The list includes some very popular pet choices. From the bird family, you are prohibited to have parrots, lovebirds, parakeets, and species from other countries. Exotic

VETERINARIANS have warned of an increase in Leishmaniasis in dogs, a disease that is caused by the bite of a sandfly or mosquito that has been infected by a parasite. In Spain, Canine Leishmaniasis is endemic, ‘with an average prevalence of 15 per cent although it affects one in two dogs in some areas such as the Mediterranean basin.’

More care should be taken during the summer as the disease is more prevalent in high temperatures and humid conditions. Unfortunately, there is no cure for the disease but the treatment will control all the symptoms and your dog will be comfortable.

There are two types of Canine Leishmaniasis, one type is cutaneous and the symptoms you will notice are exaggerated nail growth, and hair loss more specifically around the nose, eyes, and ears. You may also notice reddened areas on the skin, brittle dry fur, or even ulcers. The other type is visceral and its symptoms are sudden weight loss, loss of appetite, fever, decrease in muscle mass, and abdominal swelling. For both types, they may also have conjunctivitis, a reptiles that you can no longer keep include snakes, iguanas, lizards, chameleons, or geckos. Rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, mice, and hamsters are also banned.

Turtles as they are considered a vulnerable species can no longer be pets. Spiders are also on the list as they are considered dangerous as they can carry diseases that are very dangerous to humans. Vietnamese pigs and hedgehogs have also been named and cannot be kept at home as pets either.

But don’t worry if you have one of these ‘prohibited pets’ the government doesn’t plan to round up all of our beloved pets.

You will just have to contact your local environmental authority to inform them and they will issue an authorisation that will allow you to keep them as pets.