FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL

The city council issued a statement yesterday to explain why it has moved to remove the dogs and close the shelter down and yesterday Centro Canino Internacional vice-president Julie Ford admitted that the centre's future “hangs in the balance”. “Our lawyers met the council team on its arrival and tried to win a stay of execution for the dogs but failed. They took five away to Son Reus in a van which was in appalling conditions and not fit to carry animals and now we have eight days to house the remaining dogs which we privately own. “As we are not officially operating, all the applications for the necessary licences are being processed, we are a privately run dogs home and own the animals, so we don't understand how the authorities can take them away. “There appears to be a legal void here, we've tried to get everything right and comply with the laws but all we've had is problem. “What ever we do is wrong,” Ford said. “Sadly, the issue of animal welfare here in Majorca is not as important as in other European countries and perhaps this will highlight the shortfall in animal rights. We are in contact with major animal welfare groups on the mainland and some 20 organisations here on the island have joined forces to lobby politicians into improving animal welfare and rights. “We have even offered our services to Palma city council and suggested working together in schools and with the police to improve animal welfare in general, ” Ford said after the dogs were removed at mid-day.

However, she can not say what is going to happen next to the Centro Canino, unlike Palma city council. We just want a little bit of help and compassion from the authorities and then perhaps all this can be resolved and the future of the animals secured.” she said. “Our future looks pretty bleak at the moment.”