Adoptions up but Fuengirola’s abandoned animal problem continues

A TOTAL of 604 pets were adopted from Fuengirola’s municipal animal refuge over the last year, yet the council has reported that the numbers of animals abandoned has also increased.
While awareness campaigns run in town appear to be encouraging people to adopt, the refuge run by Canes on the Cerros del Aguila road is constantly taking in new animals which all need good homes.
Fuengirola has always been a pioneer in animal matters, Councillor Ricardo von Wichmann explained, and was one of the first towns to create an animal population register back in 1996 which now includes more than 10,000 pets.
Since the municipal refuge was created in 1998 homes have been found for 3,000 pets, yet the problem continues regardless of the campaigns run across town and in local schools, the councillor complained, reminding pet owners that animals are not toys that can be discarded at will and deserve care and respect for life.