A report on 2 more of the speakers at the PAES International Conference in Murcia in October 2015.
Pedro José Moratalla Moratalla has a degree in Computer Systems Engineering. He is involved in environmental and animal welfare issues, issues on which he has received training over time and has continually joined different national and international volunteering programmes.
Pedro joined the Local Police of Castellón de la Plana in September 1997 and since then he has developed different positions at the Police Units of Traffic, Public Safety and Emergency Service. In 2012 he presented a draft project proposal to set up a specialised unit on environmental and animal welfare issues which was approved. The new unit, initially called Blue Patrol (now UPROMA – Environmental & Animal Welfare Protection Unit), under Pedro’s management, started working at the very beginning of January 2013 and he remains at its head today.
UPROMA covers all animal issues, transport, patrols, mediation between neighbours over animal issues, with farriers where there are problems with overgrown hooves etc. They will prosecute vets who cut a dog’s ears, the illegal dealing of dogs for brothels.
You may not be aware but it is illegal to leave a dog alone in a car – there must be a person with the dog at all times. It is also law that a person must be at least 18 years old to have a dangerous dog breed and they are only allowed one dog.
They are also working on the problem of the illegal use of glue o trap migrating songbirds.
All sounds amazing. The downside is that this is the first unit and there are only 2 1/2 people. BUT it’s a start and it is hoped that Pedro’s UPROMA project will be taken on by police forces around Spain.
Juan Antonio Ferrer – Juan is married with two children. He’s been in the Policia Local since 2005 (in Alcantarilla, Murcia from 2008 to present day). He studied at the International University of Rioja
Juan’s presentation focussed on the responsibility of the Policia Local in the protection and ownership of pets; the development of public safety policies to implement these skills. He also discussed some of the cases of animal abuse and neglect that he has dealt with whilst with the Policia Local in Alcantarilla, Murcia.
He stressed the importance of everyone to make a denuncia where there is a case of animal maltreatment. That way there is a record of a case. This needs to be followed up by the person making the denuncia as, sadly at present, many police are not concerned about animals and this is the reason some denuncias ‘disappear’ in a pile of paperwork. His message is denounce, denounce, follow up.
Pedro and Juan Antonio both work in Murcia province. With pressure from the right quarters – maybe PACMA, APDDA etc – their examples will be adopted elsewhere in Spain.