Page 10 - ZAIA III bozza

The emergency of neglected dogs

prophilactic Institutes must report any suspect or verified occurrence.
Moreover Zooprophilactic Institutes must accomplish the appropriate
laboratory analyses in order to confirm the diagnosis. I believe extremely
important the duties mayors are competent of, such as the reclamation of
the area or the territory where poisonings occurred, as well as the creation
of a “coordination table” by prefecture offices, in order to manage the
actions to be carried out to monitor the phenomenon.
In order to give a useful info service on the ordinance’s content and on
the actions all citizens can undertake to protect our animals, in the next
month of May a green number will be activated a free-phone number.

That of dog straying is a true emergency, especially situated in the
South, that, in this perspective, dramatically deals only with some
Regions. How do you explain this peculiarity and which are the pro-
blems which attain public health?

Even if operative since long, the framework legislation concerning pet
defence and fight against straying, nr. 281/91, has not been brought
homogeneously into force over the national territory. This also deriving
from a remarkable delay in issuing the regional executive measures.
Dog straying and pounds situation has taken the form, especially in
the South, of a true emergency. In that respect I have already undertaken
several projects, which are still to be implemented.
The causes of that phenomenon derive from a number of factors,
among which, notably, indifference and managerial incompetence by
Institutions, economical interests many people, who saw in that pheno-
menon an opportunity for an easy profit, and last but not least, cultural
justifications, where an animal is still considered a thing and not a sen-
tient being to be respected an considered.
Unfortunately, the dramatic events, recently occurred in Sicily, are
only a further proof of how difficult it is now to manage a chronic condi-
tion of misgovernment.
Apart from being a sign of incivility, stray animals also represent a
serious risk both from a sanitary point of view, and, in some cases, even
from that of public safety.
In my opinion, in a civilized country, such as our country regards
itself, it is no longer tolerable to accept such a situation and just in this
perspective, I what to carry on the project I have started since I first took
over my office.

SILVÆ - Anno V n. 11 - 13