A step towards the acknowledgment of pet-friendly cities
Logroño, Córdoba, Albarracín and Figueres win the first edition of the Animal Friendly Cities Awards
In 2022, the Ministry of Social Rights and the 2030 Agenda created the first edition of the Animal-Friendly Cities Awards to acknowledge municipalities that are working to improve the living conditions of animals, responsible ownership, the care of animals in urban spaces and taking action against abuse and abandon.
The Government considers it important to acknowledge those municipalities implementing pioneering and innovative initiatives and providing a responsible education to its citizens.
The awards, that are not monetary, have a variety of categories: the Award for the Best Integration, Coexistence and Responsible Ownership Program, won by the Logroño City Council; the Award for the Best Municipal Program for the Ethical Management of Feline Colonies, jointly awarded to the City Councils of Córdoba and Albarracín; and the award for the most ‘Animal Friendly City’ that was given to the Figueres City Council. It is expected that the awards will continue to be held annually.
The award was given to Logroño for its well-kept facilities, its dedication to specialized resources for animal welfare and responsible ownership and its training and information programs for municipal workers; to Córdoba and Albarracín for initiatives taken to care for injured and sick cats, maintenance of colonies in their locations and volunteer training programs; and to Figueres for animal protection, rights and zero abandonment policies, the recreational facilities provided for pets for and the quality of their public animal shelters.