New rules may not go far enough to protect Mijas donkeys

Mijas Town Hall has issued a new ordinance ruling that the town’s donkey rides and carriages must not operate when there is a ‘Yellow weather warning’ temperature or above at certain times of day.

The new rules were announced on August 6, on the day after video footage went viral of a donkey attached to a cart in Mijas Pueblo collapse because of what appeared to be exhaustion. A ‘Yellow warning’ issued by AEMAT, the official State Meteorological Agency, is for when there is not immediate risk to human safety under everyday conditions, but there may be with certain outdoor activities, such as cycling or hiking.

The new timetables for the donkey rides on ‘hot’ days of the year will be up until 2pm and not resuming until 6pm. At the time of writing, the current temperature in Mijas Pueblo is 33ºC, and no ‘Yellow warning’ has been issued by AEMET, while Antequera, where it is 39ºC at the moment, is under a ‘Yellow warning’, and Granada an ‘Orange warning’ at 40ºC. Potentially, therefore, the new rules announced by the Council may only apply when temperatures in Mijas Pueblo reach much higher extremes.

College of Veterinarians actual guidelines

According to the General Council of the College of Veterinarians of Spain’s ‘Guide to good practices for the welfare of equines in public service horse-drawn carriages’, when there is a heat index of 33ºC, working equines may suffer ‘sunstroke, heat stroke, cramps, possibly due to prolonged exposure or physical activity’ and should therefore not be put to work. The heat index is a scale measuring what temperature it feels like depending on real air temperature and the level of relative humidity. Theoretically, in the Summer, it is never going to ‘feel’ colder than it really is, and at the time of writing thus (5pm Wednesday August 7, 2024) there should be no donkey rides operating in Mijas Pueblo. 

When visiting Mijas Pueblo, if you see a donkey in the following conditions for instance…

•  injured 

•  working between 14h and 18h when there are high temperatures

•  heavy person riding on the donkey’s back (Mijas council established weight restriction in 2020)

•  the animal is being mistreated

•  two carriages are attached together

Call immediately to 952 460 808 or 952 460 909 or central phone of the Town Hall 952 485 900. Timestamped photos can be sent to the Transportation department – email : transportes@mijas.es.