The month of December is dedicated to the December Verde awareness campaign, to remember the importance of responsible care for domestic animals. The date is not random, as the festive period is considered the period with the highest incidence of abandonments, in addition to being at greater risk for escapes, due to more time away from the reference humans and with more stress factors, such as fireworks.
The campaign reinforces the need for palliative measures to address the discomfort and safety of animals. The estimate, stable since the beginning of the decade, is 30 million abandoned dogs, cats and other domestic species.
“There is constant progress in the relationship established between people and pets, with increasingly close, intense and emotional interactions. Terms such as ‘possession’ and ‘owner’ are no longer appropriate. Being responsible for a pet and living with it requires offering all its needs, both physical and emotional”, explains the president of the Animal Welfare Technical Committee of the Regional Council of Veterinary Medicine of the State of São Paulo (CRMV-SP), Daniela Ramos.
The council highlights the importance of guidance for guardians and services in search of better conditions for animal welfare. One of the fundamental issues is awareness of the need for planning and adapting routines. It is common for domestic animals to live more than 10 years, and their care during exceptional periods, such as holidays, is important for their development and comfort. In addition to physiological needs, emotional well-being, such as the feeling of absence from caregivers, is also highlighted by the council. One solution, he points out, is to get the animals used to other people or places of reference, so that the absence of their owners is less felt.
“Many cases of abandonment could be avoided if, before adoption, people reflected on practical questions such as what to do with the animal if it moves? Who will take care of it during a trip?”, highlights Daniela Ramos.
“Take advantage of moments when you have more time at home, such as holidays, to reflect on adoption. No animal arrives ready to live with us. It is necessary to teach and guide it to a life in harmony with the family. The guardian and all members of the house play a fundamental role in this process”, adds the professional.
Abandonment is a crime
The Municipal Health Department of São Paulo reminds that the abandonment of animals is considered a crime, according to Law 9,605/1998, and that notifications must be made to public security bodies, through the Electronic Animal Protection Police Station and the Animal Denúncia Hotline, at 0800-600-6428.
Abandonment of animals can lead to a sentence of up to 1 year in prison, which is aggravated if there is evidence of mistreatment or risk to the animal’s health.
In the capital of São Paulo, abandoned animals are collected by the Zoonoses Surveillance Division (DVZ), of the Health Surveillance Coordination (Covisa), the public health body responsible for removing ownerless dogs and cats, found loose on public roads and places, in some situations, such as proven cases of aggression, proven invasion of public institutions, places at risk to public health or animals in a state of suffering, with priority given to situations in which there is a risk to human health.
Santa Catarina
Some states make the month of December a strategic time to debate the topic. This is the case of Santa Catarina, which organized the Don’t abandon love campaign, with street advertising and a multimedia campaign, which runs until January.
“The idea for the campaign came from an observation, based on data, that, especially at the end of the year and high season, adoption cases increase, with people becoming more aware,” said the state director of Animal Welfare, Fabrícia Rosa Costa.
However, she points out that, at the same time, cases of pet abandonment increase, when families go on vacation or move, and have no one to leave or donate, they end up abandoning the animals to their fate.
“This reality needs to change, after all, pets are not toys and are sentient beings. [capazes de sentir sensações e sentimentos de forma consciente]who feel hunger, fear, sadness, cold, heat and helplessness in these situations”, he states.
*Brazil Agency
