The San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council has launched a project to monitor and manage registered cat colonies within its municipality, especially in tourist areas. This initiative seeks to comply with the requirements of the Animal Protection and Welfare Act through a structured strategy that includes spaying, neutering, deworming, and microchipping of community cats. With 141 registered cat colonies and an approximate population of 2.606, the local council estimates that it will target 200 cats annually, also anticipating a possible increase due to the registration of new colonies.
This service will be deployed exclusively within the geographic area of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, and will not include care for private animals. Treatments will take place in authorized veterinary centers, located within a distance of no more than 30 to 40 minutes, to minimize animal stress. These centers must be registered with the Official College of Veterinarians and have adequate facilities for the required treatments.
The procedure begins with the capture of the animals, a task that falls to the registered colony managers themselves, who are also responsible for transporting the felines to the veterinary clinic. After their surgery, the animals will remain under professional supervision until their return to their point of origin is authorized. The veterinary protocol includes a physical examination to rule out pathologies incompatible with surgery; in cases of serious or terminal illness, euthanasia and subsequent cremation are considered.
Each eligible feline will undergo surgical sterilization (ovariohysterectomy in the case of females), will be fitted with an identification microchip in the name of the City Council, and will be marked with a visible straight cut in the left ear, an international symbol indicating that the animal has been sterilized. They will also receive internal and external antiparasitic treatment.
The surgical procedure will comply with rigorous animal welfare criteria. The intervention will be performed with appropriate anesthesia, absorbable monofilament sutures, intravenous fluid therapy, continuous monitoring, and oxygen administration if necessary. Antibiotics and anti-inflammatories will also be administered to prevent postoperative complications. The ultimate goal of this service is clear: to stabilize the municipality's feline colonies, improve their collective health, and reduce the uncontrolled growth of cats in the urban and natural environment of San Bartolomé de Tirajana. This represents a firm commitment to responsible coexistence and the ethical management of urban wildlife, which is advancing step by step with technical criteria, institutional planning, and citizen participation.
