The deputy Pedro Frazão allegedly neutered the cat António, one of the pets rescued and housed by Chega, at the party’s headquarters. Since the procedure did not occur in a veterinary medical center authorized by the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary (DGAV), it was deemed illegal. PAN spokesperson Inês Sousa Real called on the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) and the Order of Veterinarians (OMV) to “verify the truth of the reported facts and [demonstrate] that no one is above the law.”
The incident reportedly occurred on February 5, 2021, based on photo metadata obtained by the media. The images revealed that the sterilization was performed on a desk in a meeting room used by Chega to receive journalists, with the animal placed on a towel.
Animal ombudsman Laurentina Pedroso noted that it is “possible to request authorization from the OMV” to perform surgical procedures in locations other than those stipulated by the DGAV. However, OMV President Pedro Fabrica confirmed that the organization does not have “any known record of such a request from member Dr. Pedro Frazão.”
“A veterinarian practicing or providing veterinary medical services, including surgeries on companion animals, in an unauthorized location is committing a disciplinary offense,” warned the official. Should there be more serious criminal indications, the case may be referred to the MP.
It is noteworthy that the Chega vice-president holds an active license to practice veterinary medicine, under the number 4420.
The Notícias ao Minuto reached out to Chega and is awaiting a response.
“Everything could have gone wrong without the proper facilities to provide necessary care”
In response to the case, PAN spokesperson Inês Sousa Real urged the MP and OMV to verify “the truth of the reported facts and [show] that no one is above the law.”
“If the news that Chega deputy Pedro Frazão sterilized the cat António at the party headquarters is confirmed, it is extremely serious. Besides having ethical duties to observe as a veterinarian, primarily ensuring the safety and well-being of the cat António, even though things went well, it could have gone horribly wrong without the proper facilities to provide necessary care and ensure the required hygiene and safety. He has worked at the DGAV, so he cannot claim ignorance of the law!” wrote the sole PAN deputy on social media.
Sousa Real also highlighted that “it is even more absurd given we live in a country where everything is hindered for associations, including the sterilization of stray animals in mobile hospitals or at the [official collection centers], in acquiring medication, or in accessing state support.”
“We have an OMV that fights against the sterilization of stray animals, particularly dogs, instead of advocating for animal defense and protection, placing veterinarians in shelters to sterilize, being at the forefront of what can and should be the future of the profession, through a national public care network, which includes veterinary schools, association spaces, municipalities, and, of course, the private sector,” accused the parliamentarian.
Inês Sousa Real concluded that, concerning the situation at hand, it remains “to wait and see what the competent authorities do.”
The cat António was adopted by Chega in 2021, acting as the party’s “public relations” – described on social media as “conservative, right-wing, rescued” – where it has amassed a following. Earlier this summer, Chega welcomed Santiago, a cat rescued by party leader André Ventura during a “fire aid operation” in Santiago do Cacém.
