Mallorca party vows to end horse carriages and animal shows

Mallorca, Spain: Tourist horse carriages and animal shows face a ban if a coalition gets its way. Ara Més-Front Ampli set out the proposals in Palma on Tuesday, 10 November, ahead of the 29 November general election. It also wants an animal welfare law with no exemptions.

Lead candidate Carme Gomila said animal welfare should become a priority for public policy, rather than allowing animal suffering to be treated as business, entertainment or tradition.

From animal shows to electric vehicles

The coalition wants to end shows that use animals to draw tourists or entertain visitors. It would ban breeding in captivity at zoos and dolphinariums, and stop direct contact between visitors and animals. Its aim is to shift those facilities towards protecting animals and helping them recover.

Guillermo Amengual, leader of coalition member Progreso en Verde, criticised the use of wild animals that spend their lives in captivity as tourist attractions on Mallorca.

The plan would also end horse-drawn carriage rides for tourists and other leisure activities. Public aid would help replace carriages with electric vehicles, while people who depend on the rides would be offered other ways to work.

Bullfighting, shelters and stray cats

Ara Més-Front Ampli also wants to repeal the Spanish law that declares bullfighting a cultural heritage practice and remove public subsidies for it. It opposes bullfights, bull runs and children attending those events.

The coalition is calling for tougher penalties for animal abuse, abandonment and serious neglect, alongside stronger inspections. It wants more resources for shelters to work towards ending the killing of abandoned animals, and lower value added tax on veterinary care. For stray cat colonies, it backs catching, sterilising and returning the cats, with funding for municipalities and support for the groups and volunteers involved.

Topics: Nature & wildlife · Politics

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com