Marbella will train cat feeders and issue them a card

"Although there are many people who are feeding abandoned cats in certain areas, from now on this activity will be regulated," announced Alejandro González, the local Health Councilor, after yesterday's Local Government Board meeting. He discussed the approval of a new management program for feline colonies in the municipality that will control the feeding and protection of the animals.

Therefore, from now on, volunteers who wish to feed the felines must submit an application that will be available from next Wednesday, April 23, on the municipal website and at all citizen service offices. The application will include a responsible declaration with requirements such as being of legal age, being registered in Marbella, and committing to supply the necessary food within a colony. "We ask that it be dry food and that hygiene is maintained in the area," González pointed out, adding that the application must be accompanied by a photocopy of the DNI (ID card).

Training

The application to feed the cats does not directly grant the authority to do so. In addition to this procedure, these individuals will have to undergo prior training until they obtain a card that enables them to do so. "We have an evaluation committee with collaborators who will act as a link between the City Council and the feeders, who are Silvia Zamora (who has been performing this task for some time) and Bettina Pietsch, the president of Triple A, with whom we have also developed this program," the councilor reported.

On the other hand, the councilor noted that "we will ask interested parties to locate on the map of Marbella the point where they usually feed the animals and from the Health delegation, it will be supervised if that location complies with the law and a series of requirements." It should also be noted that this activity cannot be located in private areas (except with authorization from a community of neighbors) or at the entrance of schools or parks.

"If necessary, new locations will be sought, and once the colony is authorized, two people (a holder and a substitute) will be in charge of feeding the cats of the colony, then receiving an official card with their photo, name, and a QR code that links to the decree signed by the City Council," González asserted.

The City Council has been working for years on the management of abandoned animals, applying the TNR (Trap, Neuter, and Return) method along with Triple A, with whom the City Council has an annual agreement of 100,000 euros.