Applications now open for animal welfare support scheme for pets - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Agricultura e Alimentação

The Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Food published in the Official Journal the Order determining the application period and processing of applications. Under this Order, Animal Protection Associations, Official Collection Centres and regional parish councils may apply for the Ordinance stipulating the financial contribution scheme to be allocated for costs incurred with sterilisation, electronic identification, registration, testing for feline immunodeficiency (FIV), feline leukaemia (FeLV) and parvovirus.

The support scheme also covers the administration of rabies and polyvalent vaccines by Animal Protection Associations and Official Collection Centres, expenses with the care of pets or stray animals by the aforementioned associations, as well as costs incurred by local councils in organising sterilisation, identification and registration campaigns for pets belonging to residents in their geographical area.

The application form is available online until January 23.

It should be noted that this financial support does not only apply to animals under the responsibility of Animal Protection Associations and Official Collection Centres - all residents of the Autonomous Region of the Azores who are eligible according to the criteria of Ordinance No. 21/2018, in its current wording, can benefit from this support. For this purpose, they should contact the designated entities for an agreement between both parties. 

According to the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Food, António Ventura, the opening of applications for this financial support measure "aims to continue the work carried out to date."

“It should be noted that this Regional Secretariat has developed and continues to develop a strategy to tackle the pet abandonment. We consider that pet sterilisation, identification and registration, as well as responsible pet ownership, are the best strategies for achieving a Region without abandoned pets,” he stressed, reiterating his commitment to continue promoting animal welfare in the Azores.