A choral, cohesive and determined action to immediately move from planning to action and tackle in an organic and decisive manner one of the most complex historical, health and social challenges of the Calabrian territory. In a climate of extraordinary institutional collaboration and profound sharing of intentions, it took place in the green room of the “Jole Santelli” Regional Citadel of GermanetoCatanzaro district, the operational table dedicated to the extraordinary emergency plan against stray dogs, promoted by the regional councilor for Welfare and Animal Welfare, Pasqualina Straface, in collaboration with the budget and planning department, led by Marcello Minenna.
At the opening of the proceedings, the councilor wanted to extend heartfelt thanks to the President of the Calabria Region, Roberto Occhiuto, for his constant attention, strategic vision and decisive support guaranteed to the start of this important path of civilization. The main innovation that emerged from the work is the immediate launch of the Extraordinary Plan: a shock action that does not wait for the return from holidays, but which starts immediately, to address the emergency through a single regional direction of direction, coordination and monitoring. At the same time, the meeting marked the adoption of the new regional guidelines for the handling and sterilization of pets, which establish certain and equal rules for all provincial contexts, defining a clear executive timetable for action. The meeting recorded a full understanding between the political component and the health structures: the contribution of councilor Minenna made it possible to identify the solid financial coverage necessary to make the Plan immediately operational, with the fundamental technical support of the general manager of the Health department, Ernesto Esposito, of the manager of the same department, Francesco Lucia, and of the general manager of the Programming department, Menotti Lucchetta.
At the center of the operational agreement is the close cooperation with the general directors and heads of the Veterinary Services of all five Provincial Health Authorities of Calabria, together with the members of the regional Task Force, called to translate these indications into concrete interventions in their respective territories. A strong institutional alliance, which allows us to overcome the historical fragmentations of the past to give life, for the first time, to a single action program coordinated on a regional scale. Alongside the ASPs, a key role is entrusted to the Municipalities – of which the ASPs will have to convene the Conferences of Mayors to coordinate the management of the phenomenon and the shelters – and to the world of volunteering and animal protection associations regularly registered in the regional register.
Precisely in September, with the new scheduled meeting, we will delve into the merits of the structural measures that will accompany the reform process of the regional law: the training and updating of volunteers, advanced technological tools, regional monitoring systems and the continuation of the dialogue announced by Councilor Straface with the police forces present in the regional territory, to strengthen coordination and identify shared operational tools in the prevention and fight against crimes against animals. This organic intervention is part of a path of great attention and civility undertaken by the department led by Pasqualina Straface, also confirmed by the provision adopted in recent days signed by President Occhiuto and hit the headlines nationally. The Calabria Region was in fact the first in Italy to have introduced an organic regional ordinance for the protection of pets from the risks of summer heat waves: an act that provides for fines of up to 3,000 euros and the protection of animals from hostile conditions such as exposure to the sun or confinement in a car. “Behind every figure, every health kennel and every mobile unit – concludes councilor Straface – there is the life, respect and dignity of our pets. We want a very simple method to emerge from this meeting: mapping, sterilisation, treatment, adoption and monitoring. More adoptions mean fewer animals in the facilities, lower costs for public bodies and, above all, a different life perspective for many dogs and cats. For too long, stray animals have been considered solely as a cost or a problem of public order. With this Plan we reverse the perspective: we demonstrate that Calabria has a profound ethical sensitivity and that the protection of animals is an essential civil value. Let’s start from the emergency, but let’s build from today, through the revision of the regional law and constant work with the territories, a system capable of finally preventing stray animals, rather than simply chasing them.