“Having become aware of the use of companion animals (dogs) for begging purposes in the city of Ponta Delgada, we must immediately condemn such a practice that jeopardizes the dignity and well-being of animals,” stated the ombudswoman, Dagmar Sampaio, in a statement sent to the Lusa news agency.
In the note, the official adds that she has already appealed to the police authorities “to investigate such situations and to seize the animals in question.”
Dagmar Sampaio also urges citizens who witness such acts to “report them immediately to the police authorities.”
“As the Regional Ombudswoman for Animals, in defending the dignity and well-being of animals in the Azores, so that this does not become a recurring practice, we appeal to everyone’s sensitivity and intervention,” she concluded.
Dagmar Sampaio was elected to the position of Regional Ombudswoman for Animals in the plenary session of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores on September 13, 2024.
