The Socialist Party’s (PS) candidacy for the Funchal City Council has pledged to ensure dignified solutions for pet deaths, committing to the creation of either a public pet crematorium or a municipal pet cemetery.
The proposal was announced by Rui Caetano following a meeting between the socialist candidacy and Ajuda a Alimentar Cãos, an association recognised for its work in animal welfare on the island.
In a press release, Rui Caetano emphasised the growing awareness and respect for animals in Madeira but noted the absence of facilities that allow families to properly mourn their pets. If elected president of the municipality, he guaranteed that the PS would implement solutions, beginning with the establishment of a public crematorium.
“This is a response that has been postponed for too long. Many pets are lifelong companions and part of the family. And what happens to them? They either end up in municipal dumps or are incinerated with urban waste,” Caetano stated.
The PS recalled that in 2017, the Municipality of Funchal acquired a crematorium for pets, but the equipment remains unused due to a lack of licensing. Currently, Madeira has only one private animal crematorium, whose high costs make the service inaccessible for many families.
At present, pets are incinerated at the Meia Serra Solid Waste Treatment Plant, subject to a waste fee. The socialists argue that this process treats animals as mere urban waste, stripping them of the dignity they deserve.
“Confronted with this reality, some owners, appalled at the indignity, choose to bury their animals illegally in gardens or on farms, practices that violate environmental and public health standards and cannot be considered a solution,” the PS warned.
Caetano stressed that a public crematorium would provide a respectful option for families, and suggested that intermunicipal protocols could allow the facilities to be shared by other municipalities in the region, making the project financially sustainable.
Finally, the PS candidate criticised local and regional authorities, arguing that they “lose the legitimacy to enforce strict rules of animal protection and welfare when they themselves, whether for economic, political, or negligent reasons, fail to uphold the most basic standards of animal health, public health, and the right of families to grieve their pets as they would any loved one.”
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
