Dangerous dog numbers double

LAST year, the number of dangerous dogs registered in the Balearics more than doubled from 3'000 in 2004 to 7'053 in 2005.
According to the Balearic Minister for Agriculture, Margalida Moner, the number of animals registered in the Balearics has risen due, according to Moner, “to the campaigns of awareness” which both the Government and the Veterinary College had put into operation. One of the additions to the campaign this year includes the creation of “a web page to be accessed by authorised staff” to consult and update the register “at any time of the day, from any computer with a connection to the internet”, she said. In this way, information which now can only be accessed during office hours will be available at any time, added the Minister, who further said that to finance this agreement the Ministry will give 204'660 euros over the five years of its life. According to the Minister, in 2003 12'917 identification chips were inserted into animals; in 2004 this rose to 17'148 and in 2005 the figure was 18'585. The President of the Balearic Official Veterinary College, Ramon Garcia, said that they have cooperated with the Ministry since 1999, the year in which “the obligatory registering of dogs was introduced” in the region. In addition to this, Garcia highlighted the importance of the register, not just from the point of view of the owners, as it helps to establish “a link” between pet and owner, but also from the point of view of the vets who “are in direct contact with the animals”.