The Anti-Vivisection League (LAV), through the head of the Prato office Cristiano Giannessi, urges the municipal administration and directly addresses the new mayor Bugetti to “intervene with an injunction order for the urgent and definitive removal of the anti-vivisection metal nets swallow installed on the facade of the condominium in via della Gualchiera”. Illegitimate installation according to the animal rights association, which collected over 25,000 signatures in support of the removal of the bollards. The nets were placed last January by a condominium owner, who suffers from bronchial asthma and who had to deal with the daily droppings of swallows on the windowsill of the bedroom and bathroom. The condominium administrator, consulted by the condominium owner, had previously checked the municipal regulations and reports having received telephone reassurances from the municipal police on the possibility of having the nets positioned with a deterrent function. No written authorization had been requested or issued.
After the positioning of the nets and the complaints of another condominium owner, checks were carried out by the forestry carabinieri, who had not objected to violations of any kind; and the provincial police, who expressed themselves similarly, while leaving the final word to the Municipality on the interpretation of article 9 of the municipal animal protection regulation, which prohibits the destruction of swallow’s nests, but does not express itself in any way on the installation of bollards. The Municipality’s environmental office, for its part, last March notified a fine of 50 euros jointly to the condominium owner and the condominium administrator and warned them to remove the nets, without listening to the reasons of the other party. This resulted in the observations and the request for review by the condominium owner and administrator, who in addition to the health problems underlined that another twenty nests are present and freely accessible to swallows in the building and also raised the possibility of place 7 artificial nests in other points of the cornice to compensate for those blocked by the nets. The appellants then asked that another third party, such as the public body Ispra, the Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, express an opinion on the regulations.
Three weeks ago, however, an informal invitation came from the Municipality of Prato to evaluate the proposal from Lav, which had already offered directly “to remove the nets at its own expense and install the appropriate tables for collecting guano, ecological and non-invasive solutions which would allow us to reconcile hygiene needs with the protection of swallows” as explained by Lav herself. “Unfortunately, this proposal was rejected by the condominium administrator” claims Lav.
The condominium administration replies that it actually responded to the LAV asking for technical clarification on the methods of anchoring the panels to the walls, rejecting any responsibility for accidents caused by their detachment. Other requests for information concerned the frequency of cleaning and replacement interventions and who would bear the costs.
“Lav never responded to these questions” – states Gennaro Amendola.
Now, the Lav, according to which “there is no scientific proof of the correlation between bronchial asthma problems and the presence of swallow guano”, is asking the Municipality to finally take a position. “We will continue to monitor the situation closely and take action in all the necessary places, having already reported what happened to the Forestry Carabinieri, to ensure that the law is respected and that environmental protection is a priority” writes Cristiano Giannessi.
