The Cabildo of La Palma has gathered representatives from the Official College of Veterinary Professionals of Santa Cruz de Tenerife to advance the creation of the Insular Animal Welfare Table, an entity that will coordinate emergency protocols, abandonment, and feline colonies.
The Cabildo of La Palma, through its Animal Welfare councillor, Alberto Paz, held a meeting with the Official College of Veterinary Professionals of Santa Cruz de Tenerife to outline the future Insular Animal Welfare Table. This body, still in the process of being established, aims to unify criteria and coordinate all parties involved in the protection of animals on the island.
Technical collaboration for emergencies
Also participating in the meeting, held at the Cabildo headquarters, were the Environment councillor, Mónica Gómez, and the Security officer, Darwin Rodríguez, along with technical staff. The main point discussed was the integration of pet care into the emergency protocols of the Insular Emergency Plan of La Palma (Peinpal). The veterinarians contributed their expertise to ensure that, in the event of any disaster, domestic animals receive an appropriate response.
The Official College expressed its willingness to actively collaborate, offering the Cabildo its technical and professional capacity. This includes advice on managing feline colonies and strategies against animal abandonment, two of the central themes of the future table.
A body with multiple actors
The Insular Animal Welfare Table will not only involve the participation of the island's municipalities but also Security Forces and Bodies, emergency volunteers, associations, and animal shelters. The goal is to create a collaborative framework that addresses everything from the prevention of abandonment to care in crisis situations.
According to councillor Alberto Paz, the inclusion of veterinarians is a key step in providing the table with a solid scientific and technical foundation. “It is essential to have diverse perspectives to ensure the welfare of animals in La Palma,” he stated.
The island government team, led by Sergio Rodríguez, continues to advance the materialisation of this commitment. The expectation is that the Insular Animal Welfare Table will be established in the coming months, once the details of its internal regulations are finalised.
For the residents of La Palma, this initiative represents a tangible improvement in the protection of their pets. For example, in the event of a forest fire or a volcanic eruption, the protocols will now include the evacuation and care of companion animals, something that had not been systematised until now.
The Veterinary College of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which brings together professionals from across the province, has positively assessed the Cabildo's commitment to coordination and the professionalisation of animal welfare policies. The collaboration takes place in a context of growing social sensitivity towards animal rights.
In the coming weeks, new technical meetings are expected to define the specific protocols that will be incorporated into Peinpal. The Cabildo has also invited the municipalities to join the table, so that the measures have a truly insular reach.
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