Over the next few months, two EMT buses in Palma will be used to promote a campaign against abandoning pets. A joint initiative between the town hall and the Baldea organisation for the defence of animals, it will carry the message "Love us forever. Do not abandon us". It is designed to appeal to pet owner responsibility and to promote adoptions.
The campaign's image will also feature as banners on municipal websites and on social networks.
The Baldea coordinator, Maxi Lange, said yesterday that it is important to take time to meet the needs of animals, and this includes educating them. She explained that although the level of abandonment is decreasing, animals which are abandoned can often have behavioural problems. These make it difficult for them to be adopted.
In 2017, the number of dogs taken in by the Son Reus animal protection centre went down by seven per cent. There were 1,497 last year, compared with 1,612 in 2016. With cats, however, there was a 32% increase. Nevertheless, the town hall feels this figure is positive, as there are more people handing in cats rather than just abandoning them on the streets.