The CHEGA parliamentary group in the Assembly of the Republic has submitted a draft resolution recommending that the Government of the Republic launch a national awareness campaign against the chaining of dogs, a practice that the party still considers frequent and unacceptable.
According to Francisco Gomes, deputy of the CHEGA elected by the Madeira constituency, “the initiative warns of situations in which animals live permanently imprisoned, often without adequate conditions, without stimuli and no social contact, which can severely compromise their well-being, health and behaviour.”
We cannot accept that, in the twenty-first century, animals are living in chains, abandoned and without any dignity. This is a sign of civilisational backwardness that has to be fought.” Francisco Gomes, deputy in the Assembly of the Republic
According to CHEGA, “chaining causes continuous suffering, which can generate stress, aggressiveness and physical problems, and it is therefore essential to promote a change in mentalities through public awareness.”
In a press release, the party also defends “the worsening penalties for animal abuse, including chaining, considering that the current legal framework is not sufficiently deterrent.”
“Those who mistreat animals cannot continue to get away with it or be threatened with symbolic penalties. We need tougher laws and serious inspection to put an end to this barbarism.”
CHEGA’s proposal also includes “the strengthening of supervision, the training of competent authorities and the review of the legislation, to ensure better living conditions for animals.”
Francisco Gomes also warns that in emergencies, such as fires or floods, in which animals are chained, they are left with no possibility of escape, drastically increasing the risk of an agonising death.
“Leaving an animal chained is condemning them to a life of suffering and, in many cases, to an avoidable death. This has to end,” he concluded.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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