A sad news story

[fifi]

There is much anger in Fuerteventura where, on Tuesday morning, a farm was demolished by court order, with hundreds of animals inside, including goats and hens. The small farm was located at Esquinzo near La Oliva.




This demolition was ordered by Court No. 2 in Puerto del Rosario because the area affected is a bird sanctuary which has not been released for agricultural purposes.  The owner, Arancha R. and her companions, asked for the demolition to be delayed, as they had nowhere to take their 600 goats which form their only income.  But their request fell on deaf ears.

Guardia Civil and Local Police officers arrived on Tuesday morning to oversee the proceedings.  Some 30 family members and friends had meanwhile gathered at the scene, and after three hours of negotiations the environmental protection agency ordered the demolition to go ahead and an excavator moved in.  The owners were seen to be carrying dead animals away from the rubble.

The scandal of this is not the decision, but that construction workers began to demolish the buildings with an excavator, in the presence and under the supervision of the Guardia Civil, while the animals were still in the stables and the outside area, and many of them were pregnant.  There are definite animal welfare laws in Spain, but in this case they were not adhered to.

In the meantime, as a temporary solution, Arancha and her goats have temporarily settled on the government owned Pozo Negro finca.  The case has attracted much attention from the public and on the social networks.

http://www.islandconnections.eu/1000003/1000043/0/48359/daily-news-picture.html

[woe10]

There are some Barbaric Bas tards on this Island.

[Tamkid]

They have just built a monstrosity of a road not far from the casa in question, the birds cant tell the difference. I have walked in that area a few times in the past, you never see any birds because they shoot them all. The Rui hotels were built illegally in the Natural Park without planning permission, why not bulldoze them? The Spanish law should be changed to "Convenience Law", its applied only when there is something in it for someone in authority, it will be interesting to see what eventually happens to the land now left.

[Jock719]

well said...obviously someone never got a brown envelope...

[fifi]

It is shocking really. The poor family.

[Tamkid]

Thanks Erik, it means a lot.

[jill tie]

why would any court rule its Ok to demolish anything whilst animals where inside?
Why would builder with a hint of compassion carry out the work?
Why would the police stand by and watch?

Shocking it would never happen in the UK

[appy ammer]

They have just built a monstrosity of a road not far from the casa in question, the birds cant tell the difference. I have walked in that area a few times in the past, you never see any birds because they shoot them all. The Rui hotels were built illegally in the Natural Park without planning permission, why not bulldoze them? The Spanish law should be changed to "Convenience Law", its applied only when there is something in it for someone in authority, it will be interesting to see what eventually happens to the land now left.

Rui did a deal with the local mayor a few year back, they owned lobos so they gave it back and negotiated a 30 year lease on the illegally built hotels, couldn't make it up

Appy Olidays One and All xxxxx

[calculator]

Nothing sad about the story, the woman got what she deserved. The nasty piece of work had 10 years to resolve the problem and she played the single mother card instead. Should have been jailed.

She got permission to build the farm elsewhere, but she decided to do as she pleased, thinking that as a goat farmer she was untouchable. Times are changing and about time too.

Almost exactly like the nasty old woman from Betancuria (illegal house extention). They think the law doesn't apply to them. she also played the poor, downtroden card. Look at me, I have a disabled child and caring for grandkids and all that rubbish!! Failed to mention that her daughter owns a restaurant in Betancuria.

Typical for the immigrants on here to get sentimental!! Know the real stories first before writing c:rp.

P.S. These goat farmers don't care one iota about the welfare of the goats. Their sole purpose is making money. The authorities literally throw money  at the farmers in the form of subsidies/grants. In the same way that if we "foreigners" didn't have any money or spend any money, we wouldn't be welcome here either!!

[fifi]

Thanks for the additional information.  To quote the article....

"The scandal of this is not the decision, but that construction workers began to demolish the buildings with an excavator, in the presence and under the supervision of the Guardia Civil, while the animals were still in the stables and the outside area, and many of them were pregnant.  There are definite animal welfare laws in Spain, but in this case they were not adhered to."

Would you not agree Calculator?

[jill tie]

Calculator "nothing sad about the Story" ?

Couldn't care less what the woman did.   Still no way to treat animals.

[erik_tonny]

Or did she confine the animals as hostages, thinking that would stop the demolishment?

[fifi]

Or did she confine the animals as hostages, thinking that would stop the demolishment?

It doesnt look that way in the picture. Surely they could have demolished part of the wall and let the animals out.

[SheilaW]

Or did she confine the animals as hostages, thinking that would stop the demolishment?

It doesnt look that way in the picture. Surely they could have demolished part of the wall and let the animals out.

That makes it sound as though they went in with their excavators and killed the lot. That just isn't true. They're all being looked after at the Pozo Negro grounds. The only bits being demolished on that film were not bits where animals were housed. And the only two dead animals were ones exactly the size I saw in Spar a few days ago. You would expect the newborns to suffer the most but they didn't seem to be dying.

It was certainly not a very clever move by the Guardia to deal with it that way. The press were bound to use it the way they have. And some animal lovers were bound to defend this woman, however she treats the animals in her care. Personally I'd like to know some more facts before I condemn either party.