COSTA BLANCA NEWS – TOWN HALL SHELLS OUT €15K TO STERILISE 800 CATS IN BENIDORM

APPROXIMATELY 800 stray cats living in 34 colonies were neutered in Benidorm this year, Health councillor Monica Gomez announced.
As before, the sterilisation programme was subsidised by Alicante’s provincial council, the Diputacion, which this year allocated €15,000 in addition to the €6,000 provided by the town hall.
“This was more than in previous years and has allowed us to extend the campaign and neuter more cats,” Gomez said.
“In all, 245 cats – 101 males and 144 females – were trapped, neutered and released in their own colonies, compared with 161 in 2018 and 147 in 2017,” Ms Gomez said.
She added that the “trap, neuter and release,” or TNR, scheme is regarded as the most effective way of controlling the stray cat population as well as the most “respectful.”
Trapping, transporting and later releasing the cats was carried out by a specialist firm contracted by the town hall.
The neutering was carried out by collaborating vets who also deflea-ed and wormed the cats and gave them anti-rabies shots.