WITH the threat of closure just days away, the Centre Canino Internacional animal shelter has won a stay of execution from Palma City Council.
The apparent climb down by City Hall coincided with a protest mounted by animal lovers and dog owners outside Palma City Hall on Sunday morning. Some 50 animal refuge supporters and dog owners gathered with their pets in Plaza Cort as part of a last ditch attempt to force the council into allowing the refuge to remain open and the 27 dogs it is currently caring for stay at the shelter.
Palma council and the mayor has come under intense media and international pressure over the past ten days since the centro was served with an eviction order and the first five dogs carted away to the municipal pound.
The council maintains the centre's paperwork is not in order and has ignored constant warnings.
However, the Centro Canino president, Juan Gill, and vice president Julie Ford, did manage to corner the mayor at the entrance to city hall on Sunday, hand over a copy of the Centro's animal project and impress upon Catalina Cirer just how angry Majorcan residents and animal lovers across the globe are over her intentions to shut the centre down.
In the best interests of the animals, both sides appear to have reached a deal.
The remaining 27 dogs will not be evicted and taken to the Son Reus pound tomorrow, as threatened, and the Centro can continue to function providing it resolves the problem over paperwork and does not take any more animals into care in the meantime.
We are absolutely delighted, Julie Ford said yesterday.
The response from the island and people overseas has been overwhelming.
The website is currently the most popular animal site in Spain and number 18th in the world. Not only have we saved the centro but also brought the issue of animal welfare to the attention of the public and, more importantly, the politicians
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