The initiative is part of a 14.5 million euro package aimed at promoting animal welfare, which allocates 400,000 euros for the creation of facilities for companion animals in temporary shelter structures.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Sea announced that applications for these supports will begin on Wednesday, October 1, and “are intended for local municipalities and intermunicipal entities.”
“This measure aims to address an increasingly visible reality where the presence of animals can be decisive in the acceptance of social support by people experiencing homelessness or severe vulnerability,” the ministry stated.
It further noted that “by allowing animals to accompany their guardians in shelter contexts, the goal is to promote a more integrated, humane, and effective social response.”
The Ministry specified that applications for this support should include plans for compartments for dogs and cats, ensuring that those with companion animals can keep them safely and under appropriate conditions.
“For this, it will be necessary that the capacity for animals represents at least 10% of the total capacity of the shelter structure,” it noted.
It added that “infrastructures should include kennels, catteries, and whenever possible, exercise areas, meeting minimum welfare requirements.”
According to the ministry, the allocation of this support will consider the population size of the municipality, “ensuring a proportional distribution of resources.”
The construction projects for companion animal facilities must be submitted to the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary (DGAV) within four months of the Acceptance Term validation, with the work to be completed within a year.
The total of 14.5 million euros, described by the ministry as “the largest investment ever in animal welfare,” will also serve to combat abandonment and promote responsible adoption of companion animals, to create a cooperation strategy with municipalities for a coordinated response nationwide, and to implement the Companion Animal Identification Document in digital format.
The ministry stated that this constitutes “a more ambitious cycle, led by DGAV, in cooperation with the Animal Ombudsperson, local municipalities, the Veterinary Medical Association, and the Animal Defense and Rescue Federation.”
It added that these entities are developing a public policy focused on accountability for keeping companion animals, which will include more sterilization programs, support for responsible adoption, assistance to families and municipalities, and greater individual and collective accountability.
