Councils are banning animal adoptions in the run-up to Christmas to try to prevent abandonments or returns after the festive season.
Several Portuguese authorities decided to suspend or reinforce care in animal adoption processes during the Christmas season. The main objective is to avoid impulsive decisions that could result in the abandonment of animals.
Among the councils that temporarily suspended adoptions are Braga, Porto, Viana do Castelo, Famalicão, Tomar, Sobral de Monte Agraço, São João da Madeira and Alpiarça. The measure aims to raise awareness of the lifetime commitment associated with animal adoption, says .
In Porto, for example, adoptions will be suspended from December 16th to January 6th. According to the municipality, the decision aims to highlight that “a animal is not a gift” and encourage prior reflection to avoid future returns or abandonments. Sobral de Monte Agraço has adopted a similar approach since 2012, banning adoptions in December.
On the other hand, there are divergent opinions about the effectiveness of this strategy. Animalife, an animal protection association, criticizes the suspension of adoptions, arguing that it would maintain adoptions and implement “rigorous evaluation and evaluation processes.” post-adoption follow-up“.
“Preventing adoptions at this time does not solve the problem of abandonment, on the contrary, it takes away from animals the possibility of find responsible homes and perpetuates suffering in shelters”, argues Rodrigo Livreiro, president of the association.
While some city halls reinforce care without suspending adoptions, such as Coimbra and Lousã, others promote specific campaigns to encourage responsible adoption during Christmas. If, for example, organize an “open day” to raise awareness among the population, while Montemor-o-Novo carries out the “MorNatal” campaign. In Vila Nova de Gaia, the council also launched a campaign under the motto “we are part of the family, not a Christmas present”.
Some municipalities implement additional measures, such as in Loulé and Vila Franca de Xira, where animals adopted in December are only delivered in Januaryafter the festive period. Municipalities such as Felgueiras and Porto also suspend visits to collection centers during this season.
The initiatives reflect different approaches, but they all highlight the importance of adopting responsibly, ensuring the well-being of animals and the creation of long-lasting homes.
