The collaboration between the Police Force and the Melucci Administration continues incessantly as part of the awareness and information campaign for citizens for the protection of animals and the fight against crimes committed against them.
In 2023, after unfortunately having recorded a high number of cases of abandonment, mistreatment, poisoning and even killing of both municipal and owned animals, the Taranto Civic Authority and the Office of the Animal Guarantor have started a close collaboration with the Law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with national, regional and local legislation for the protection of dogs and cats present in our territory. Focusing on encouraging adoptions from municipal kennels, activities have been launched aimed at raising citizens’ awareness of respect for biodiversity and the fight against animal aggression phenomena (in May 2023 a course was also organized aimed at issuing the license for good keepers) . Furthermore, the city administration has identified the symbolic places of respect for the legality of our territory, supporting the dedication and care that the police dedicate to wandering animals, precisely in the offices where justice is administered.
The initiative, strongly supported by the mayor Rinaldo Melucci, was welcomed by the MM Taranto Munition Directorate, with which since last year the census of the feline population present on site, the management methods of the registered colony and the planning of the sterilization of the specimens carried out thanks to the veterinary staff of the ASL of Taranto.
One year after the start of the project, yesterday morning, at the DIREMMUNI military base in Taranto, an update meeting was held on the progress of the project between the Environment Councilor of the Municipality of Taranto, lawyer. Stefania Fornaro, the Animal Ombudsman, lawyer. Alessandra Tracuzzi, and the Director of the MM Taranto Munition Directorate, Commander CV Federico Farneti.
“It is with pride that I record the synergy between the institutions that respect for animals and for sector regulations has managed to create with the proposed project – commented councilor Fornaro -. The message that we institutions must deliver to the citizens regarding respect for biodiversity and the current legislation regarding free cats, even more so where it comes from the brave men of the Navy and their commendable commitment to the care of the cats present in their workplace. I hope that what has been achieved at the Command Buffoluto, thanks to the collaboration of intent with the Management, can be the prerequisite for the realization of the project also at other institutional sites in our territory”.
During the meeting, the Municipality of Taranto handed over to the Command three food stations (“Cat Bar”) intended for the “Buffoluto” cat colony. These stations were made with recycled materials, revisited and decorated by hand by an animal rights association in the Taranto province, the “Randagi Monterocca Odv Ets”, which donated them to the Municipality of Taranto on the occasion of a previous meeting.
Already last May 2023, as part of the same project, the Melucci Administration had organized a similar initiative by donating a hand-decorated food station and a kennel to “Mimina”, the stray black cat looked after by the staff of the local Police of State.
