“We have Podencos for hunters, Bardinos and Bardino Mix, Pitbulls and Staffys for adoption”

FMHOY - Fuerteventura

We are meeting Ana Franquis, the veterinarian who manages Puerto del Rosario’s municipal kennel.

We have many questions, especially concerning the new law on animal wellbeing that has just come out. Ana, what is your main role?

I manage the municipal kennel, which includes various responsibilities: the management of the kennel, the health and safety control and care of the animals and finally, all the procedures involved with the adoptions.

We have a company that is hired for the daily cleaning and maintenance.

The name “kennel” can sound quite bad, although it is the traditional name for it, but in truth, we are a temporary rescue centre for lost or abandoned animals, in the municipality of Puerto del Rosario. What does temporary really mean?

The law makes it compulsory to keep the animals here for 21 days, to check if the owners will turn up, and then they can be put up for adoption.

What if no one turns up within that period?

Before, we used to be able to put them down after 21 days, but the new law now forbids it.

So, they stay here forever?

It is the only solution and the reason why we are extending the kennel because we believe that the future will be complicated.

The only solution is for the animals to be adopted, to prevent them from being locked up forever.

We have volunteers who come to walk the dogs and help us, but dogs look for human contact and the lack of it is bad for them. This new law will generate high costs in space and care.

This is why it is more important now than ever before for people to adopt…

Indeed, but first, we must fight against abandonment, and create more measures, to try to reduce the number of aban- doned animals, because, despite the number of facilities that we will create, in the long run, it is going to be a big problem. It won’t slow down from one day to the next and for the animals that are in the kennels already and those that will come, although we try to provide the best possible life for them, ending their life here isn’t a good solution. We would like people who are thinking of adopting to find out about this information. What would you say to motivate them to adopt?

An adult dog already has its personality, and we can advise the new owners according to their characteristics and requirements. Furthermore, there are really young dogs, one or two years old, that have a lot to offer and the other advantage is that we know what their adult size is going to be, there are no surprises!

Is the adoption procedure complicated?

It has been made very easy, although, with the new law, there are some minimum criteria for an adoption contract, to ensure that the animal will be followed up and that only responsible people can adopt because a dog isn’t a toy.

The procedure is also free of charge right now, to boost the number of adoptions. What should people do if they are thinking of adopting?

First of all, they should come here, meet the dogs and if they make a decision, they meet with me. I carry out a short interview to ensure that the dog is adapted to the family: depending if there are children, other dogs or animals; what do they expect from the animal, do they have an active or sedentary lifestyle? Then, they come back at various times to get to know and interact with the dog.

We know that even if they have been here for a long time, they adapt very well to their new family because dogs look for affection and interaction with humans.

It is very simple, only some dogs breeds that are qualified as dangerous require a special permit. Do you also rescue dogs from people who can no longer look after them for one reason or another?

We have a long list of people who are waiting for us to pick up their animals, almost always adult dogs, but our facilities are full of dogs found in the streets. Is it necessary to neuter them?

According to the new law, cats have to be castrated before they are six months old, but it isn’t compulsory for dogs, although there are some registration requirements, for example, if people want to make their dog breed, the dog has to be registered as a breeding animal, etc. Which animals are most demanded for adoption?

Young dogs are the most demanded, but we get few of them and when we have some, they leave quickly. It is different for adult dogs, those that need more space or a large property for more freedom, or if they are very old, or with some kind of pathology, dangerous breeds, etc., they don’t get adopted as much.

At present, we have about 40 adoptable dogs: we have various beautiful Podencos for hunters, Bardinos and Bardino Mix, Pitbulls and Staffys (those two breeds require a specific licence). We put their photos on Facebook and Instagram so that people can follow us.