New official vet for Mijas

Mijas will be reactivating its veterinary register of pets and animals that ensures the correct registration, health and wellbeing of animals.

The service is compulsory by law, however Mijas has been 2 years without an agreement with the Official College of Veterinarians and therefore an official council vet assigned to the municipality. A deal was signed on Tuesday, September 11 that will ensure the creation of a new registry of all animals including pets.

New animal registry will keep data and oversee animal welfare

The registry will ensure the gathering, identification and safeguarding of information on animals, and ensure all pets are up to date with their vaccines and oversee the wellbeing of animals within the municipality. The service will also include oversight of the wellbeing of the famous Mijas donkeys.

Official College of Veterinarians will be in charge of keeping and maintaining records on pets and animals, training council specialists and local police on how to correctly use animal chip readers, a registry of dangerous dogs, and the management and registry of vaccinations and health checks.

35,000 pets estimated to be living in Mijas

‘It’s important to maintain controls and a registry to avoid possible illnesses, above all in situations where animals live alongside others, including, for example, where children play. Mijas covers a broad area and has a significant amount of pets. We estimate some 35,000 pets live in the municipal area of Mijas, animals such as dogs, cats, ferrets,’ said Mayor, Ana Mata.

The chipping of dogs and cats is considered important in the identification of escaped or abandoned animals. Since 2010, pet owners are obliged by law to maintain cats and dogs registered with local authorities, something the new service in Mijas will facilitate. Owners are also obliged to ensure their pets are vaccinated against rabies and protect their animals against parasites. Recently a resident of Melillia was diagnosed with rabies, highlighting the need to maintain all dogs in Spain up to date with their vaccines. More news will follow on how to register pets in Mijas.