Together with our Spanish partner organisation ANDA we meet with representatives of the regional government in Galicia to discuss the cattle farms we have reported in the course of the last year. In 2018 and 2019, we found serious problems there during on-site investigations.
Meanwhile, all the farms have been inspected by official veterinarians. Sanction proceedings were initiated in some cases. The officials tell us that behind the animal welfare problems – especially with the smaller farms – there are social problems of the owners. Often the official veterinarians see themselves forced to involve the judicial authorities or social welfare offices. And nobody feels responsible for the animals until these often very precarious situations have been solved. It is not uncommon for veterinarians to have to look after the animals themselves. However, due to the high number of animal farms in the region, the official veterinarians can only control a fraction. They are therefore grateful for the work of NGOs such as Animals' Angels.
