Persistence pays off

TANYA ELLET,  two volunteers from Benissa’s animal shelter and a neighbour removed 15 cats and kittens from unbearable conditions in Senija.
“I found out about the situation in July and ran round in circles for three months with various authorities,” Tanya told the Euro Weekly News.
“They were shut in a dark room in an apartment in Senija with one bowl of cat litter between them,” she said.
“When it was full the owner just emptied it in a corner of the room. Until August they survived on bread alone.”
Tanya contacted the Guardia Civil and Seprona and learnt that because the cats and kittens had food, water and shelter nothing could be done without a court order.
“I asked the owners of the property to make a denuncia to the town hall to get this order but they never did,” Tanya added.
After months of persistence she and the volunteers finally gained entry earlier in November.
“Senija’s mayor and the town hall have been great and agreed to pay for vaccination, worming, defleaing and testing,” she said. “This means they can remain in the Protectora for socialisation and eventual re-homing.”
Tanya stressed Senija’s collaboration: “They embrace the trap, neuter, return scheme and injured and dying street cats are also taken care of.”
“We northern Europeans think the Spanish don’t care much for animals, but this is a forward-thinking Spanish village living up to its animal responsibilities,” she said.