Alexandre Pereira, municipal deputy of Pan in Olhão, proposes a pioneering initiative to mark World Rua’s Day, which is celebrated on April 4.
“Every day, in the streets of our county, hundreds of dogs and cats face challenges that no domesticated animals should know. They live without shelter, without comfort, without the safety of a place that can call home. These animals, invisible to many, are the reflection of a society that still has a long way to go in respect and care for the fragile and unprotected. Worldwide, and Olhão is no exception to this scourge, ”says Alexandre Pereira.
The PAN deputy argues that World Street Animal Day should be more than a simple date on the calendar. “On April 4th, World Rua’s Day is marked. This is a day that should not only be a date on the calendar, but a moment of reflection and action. My proposal is simple, but it carries a deep sense of responsibility: that we unite to turn this date into a milestone of sensitization and solidarity, for all animals that live on the streets and people who, with dedication and sacrifice, are in the front line to protect and care for these Animals, ”he reinforces.
For this purpose, in December 2024, he submitted to the Parish Council of Olhão a proposal to mark the date with a show dedicated to street animals, giving visibility to the cause, highlighting the role of informal associations and caregivers and raising the community to the urgency to act. However, “after three months, the Parish Council has not given any response or feedback on this initiative. Time passes, but silence remains,” he laments.
The proposal provides for three fundamental measures to improve the conditions of abandoned animals and reinforce community commitment:
– Construction of three shelters for cat colonies identified in the parish, providing a safe haven. The shelters would initially be exposed at the Parish Council, allowing the population to know the initiative and contribute to donations for informal associations and caregivers.
– Creation of a working groupwith community representatives, animal protection associations and informal caregivers, which would be responsible for the construction of shelters and organization of the exhibition.
– Inauguration of the exhibition on April 4promoting a moment of sensitization and mobilization for the protection and welfare of wandering animals.
Alexandre Pereira underlines that this action goes far beyond a simple symbolic event. “This initiative is not just about building shelters or organizing an exhibition. It is about making sense of everyday life, about creating hope in a future where no living being is forgotten or abandoned. It is about remembering that, united, we are able to do more and better. Our struggle is not only by animals that have no voice, but also for a more compassionate, just and solidarity community,” he says.
The deputy of the warning also for the collective responsibility in the protection of street animals. “Street animals represent fragility, but also resilience. They are a reflection of the challenge we face as a society to take care of the most vulnerable. Now, the question is: Are we willing to act with responsibility, empathy and commitment?”
“This is a struggle that unites us, because in care for the fragile we find the true strength of our humanity. Olhão can and must be an example of unity, compassion and progress,” he concludes.
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