ICAWC 2013 Barcelona, Spain - Agnes Dufau's presentation on Free Roaming Cat Population Management in Barcelona

1. Community cats
management in Barcelona
Agnès Dufau
President Plataforma Gatera

2. Who we are
•
Plataforma Gatera is an Animal Welfare Organisation based in Barcelona
•
Created in 2005 we are working to improve cats welfare and protection
in Barcelona
•
Plataforma Gatera coordinates 19 associations working to improve cats
welfare:
 Colonies management program
 Rescue and rehoming of abandoned cats
 Promotion of responsible ownership
•
We are working with the Barcelona City Council to promote the humane
management of community cats since 2007

3. Barcelona: The legal framework
Animal Protection Law of Cataluña – 2008 (Decreto Legislativo 2/2008, de 15 de
abril (“Texto refundido de la “Ley de protección de los animales”)

Cats, as a species (felis catus) are always considered as companion animals
(Definition- article 3.b)

Municipalities are responsible to control abandoned, lost and free-roaming
animals (article 16.1)

It is prohibited to kill healthy companion animals in Cataluña (article11.2)
Barcelona Local Regulation concerning animals protection – 2003 (Ordenanza
sobre la protección, la tenencia y la venta de animales del 22/12/2003)

The city council will promote cats colonies for abandoned or free-roamng cats,
as an alternative to killing (article 19.5)

4. Why controlled colonies?
•
TNR and managing controlled colonies is the
only legal and economically sustainable
option available in Cataluña.
•
Community cats colonies management is the
only effective and ethical option to control
cats population
 Trap/remove/kill is not efficient
 Rehoming facilities (shelters) are not the
solution for all cats: economically
unsustainable; ethologically confinement
may generate high level of stress /
suffering

5. Colony management
Since 2007 the city council
promotes a a humane
management of community cats
through a specific program
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The program is based on TNR and
aims to promote Colony Management
including:
Veterinary follow-up
Protected areas for the cats
Colony monitoring
Training and registration of volunteers

6. Public Controlled Colonies program
Stakeholders:
 Barcelona City Council
 AWO through the “Cat
Committee” (Plataforma Gatera
and Progat)
 Animals Protection Office (OPAB)
 District Contact person
+
+
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Local Police,
Citizens,
Companies,
Feeders,
Cats….

7. Colony log and monitoring
Barcelona controlled colonies map

8. The City Council and community cats
City Council definition:
“The City promotes the controlled colonies model which allow citizens to enjoy
these animals in the city, while decreasing the problems of overpopulation and
ensuring
a
proper
integration
of
cats
in
the
urban
reality”.
(www.bcn.cat/adopta/es)
•
Since 2007 the Barcelona city-council promotes the humane management of
free-roaming cats population through a specific program (Gestió de Colonies de
Gats Urbans).
•
In 2009 NGOs started to get organized working together with the local
government towards several objectives:
 Improving cat welfare through the humane control of free-roaming cats.
 Reducing citizens complaints regarding nuisances caused by cats
 Improve the coexistence between citizens and cats

9. TNR program working options
•
The city council commitment to the TNR program allows the NGOs to develop their
work in 2 different ways:
AWO Collaboration Agreement with the City Council
A grant is allowed to each district on a yearly basis for the AWOs to spend in private
veterinary clinics (neutering surgeries only). The AWOs have to follow a strict
procedure and can use the clinic of their choice.
(1859 cats neutered in 2012)
Neutering Centre
The centre opened in June 2009 and his managed by a veterinarian. It is dedicated to
neutering healthy animals only; no other medical or surgeries can be undertaken in
the installation. Centre users are authorized volunteers from recognized registered
AWO.
(977 cats neutered in 2012)

10. Municipal Neutering Centre
•
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Opened in June 2009
Allows to speed up neutering
process
No other surgery than neutering
is performed
Free service: especially useful
for the smallest NGOs
Users: authorised volunteers
from registered NGOs (80
users)
Average 1000 neutering / year

11. Education: from feeder to colony manager
 Volunteers workshops (since 2010):
administration, NGOs, veterinarians,
local police.
 Educational material: Best Practices
leaflet; city council leaflet (Cats
responsible ownership)
 Official Identification card for
registered volunteers who manage
colonies (June 2013)

12. Results (2012)
• 2836 cats neutered through the City Council
program
• 598 registered colonies (407 in 2009)
• 8.515 “controled” cats
• 189 citizens requests:
 179 “positive requests”: citizens asking for an intervention to
improve cats welfare
 10 “ negative requests”: citizens asking for an intervention due to
problems/ nuisance caused by cats.
(Between 2012 and 2011 citizens requests decrease by 35%)

13. Comprehensive approach needed

New colonies are usually caused by the
arrival of newly abandoned or lost unneutered cats and their offspring .

The arrival of new individuals in the
colonies, new born or lost or abandoned
cat is the main slow down issue of the
program.

A comprehensive approach to reduce
feline overpopulation is needed, including
the promotion of Responsible Ownership
 Communication and education campaigns
should be implemented simultaneously to
TNR programs to succeed in the
community cats population management.

14. Conclusions
•
Since 2009 9.365 cats have been neutered within the city council program and all
stakeholders consider the program a success in terms of reduction of citizens’
complaints, control of cats’ population and improvement of cat welfare
•
Barcelona is a clear example of the possibility to implement a no-kill approach
involving the NGOs as key stakeholders of a public policy
•
The NGOs and the city council are aware that results could be improved by
improving cat responsible ownership culture
•
Responsible ownership campaigns and a better enforcement of the existing
Catalan Animal Protection Law are the challenges we are facing:
 A comprehensive approach to the issue of feline overpopulation is
necessary to lead to a long lasting solution for the benefits of the cats
and the community.

15. The CAROcat project
 An innovative tool to promote cats
responsible ownership and the
humane management of
community cat populations
 A practical information system for
policy makers, veterinarians, law
professionals, NGOs and citizens
 Behind the website: Vier Pfoten;
Istituto G.Caporale; FVE; EU
Commission
www.carocat.eu

16. Thank you for your attention
More information:
www.plataformagatera.org