Cat lovers in Rincon de la Victoria learn how to care for street cats at town hall course

Rincon de la Victoria, a town in Spain, has been hosting a course to teach volunteers and trappers how to care for stray cats. The sixth edition of this course took place on September 30, from 5:15pm to 7:15pm, at the local town hall. The town hall's health and consumer affairs department organized the sessions, covering various aspects such as feeding, handling, capturing the animals, and managing colonies.

The focus of the course is on the CER method, which stands for Capture, Sterilisation and Return. This method involves trapping the cats, neutering them by a vet, and returning them to their territory. The town hall enforces this as the primary method for addressing complaints from neighbors about cat colonies. Additionally, they emphasize the importance of such courses to ensure that volunteers follow shared guidelines on capture, feeding, hygiene, and veterinary care.

According to local media, Rincon de la Victoria currently has approximately 90 registered colonies, with a total of 1,109 cats sterilised, out of which 549 have been microchipped. Around 150 volunteers have already completed the course in previous editions. Under Spain's Animal Welfare Law, known as Law 7/2023, local councils are responsible for managing community cats.

However, some volunteers in various regions argue that councils should fund this work instead of relying on unpaid carers. For those interested in participating in future courses or wanting to contribute further, they can email coloniasfelinasrincon@gmail.com for more information.