Alex Trelinski
A WOMAN has been penalised in Santa Cruz de Tenerife for repeatedly feeding pigeons in the street and could be fined up to €1,500.
She infringed the the ‘Municipal Ordinance Regulating the Protection and Possession of Animals’ and her breach is regarded as a ‘serious administrative infraction’ which could attract the maximum €1,500 penalty.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife council has initiated a sanctioning procedure that sets a precedent since, according to the mayor, Jose Manuel Bermudez, these transgressions ‘cannot go unnoticed, which is why the council will penalise people who feed animals on public roads’.
“A simple event like this can lead to public health problems and our responsibility as city managers is to prevent that from happening,” he said.
Public Services councillor Carlos Tarife said that the woman was a regular transgressor who frequently carried plastic bags containing large amounts of rice that she threw on the ground to feed the pigeons.
“These people who feed pigeons must be sanctioned because it is an act that alters the health and natural balance of the city due to the appearance of a greater amount of excrement, for example, or even causes the appearance of other animals such as rodents,” he added.
“Our efforts will continue to ensure that residents do not leave rubbish outside containers and that they do not feed pigeons,” he concluded.
The Santa Cruz Municipal Ordinance strictly prohibits feeding animals on roads or public spaces, and that includes those animals who have accessed private property.
READ MORE:
- Authorities track down pigeon nests in Gibraltar on fears they could spread bird flu to humans
- PIGEON PILL: Pesky birds in Spain’s Cadiz to be slipped contraceptives in food to control numbers
- Panic after man opens fire outside church in Spain’s Mallorca, killing multiple pigeons
