Amsterdam bans creation of new hotels
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
The city relies on volunteers to maintain the so-called ‘cat colonies’
The Portuguese city of Famalicão has decided to solve its stray cat problem by going beyond simply sterilizing the animals and letting them go on the street. The answer is the so-called ‘cat colony’, the first of which was created at the Praça Madalena Fonseca and counts with about a dozen cats.
City authorities argue that this is a better, and more humane, approach and they plan to replicate it on the whole territory of the municipality. The local animal collection centre and volunteers assist the City Council in carrying out this project.
The Famalicão administration reminds the residents that even stray cats are important for the community as they have their purpose, namely the control of rats and other pests. ‘Capture, sterilize and return’ is the motto of the cat colonies, however, we need to clarify that the ‘return’ here does not mean a return to the street and unsupervised living.
It means that people working with stray animals understand the particular attachment that cats have to the territories they inhabit. In that sense, the creation of a colony is the creation of a home for the felines – one that is located outside of a human household.
In the case of the Praça Madalena Fonseca colony, four cats have already gone through the process, and at the moment four volunteers are acting as caregivers. They feed the animals and take care of the spaces.
"This is a very effective process in the management of the stray cat population, which will certainly contribute to the reduction of several problems associated with reproduction, noise and unhealthy spots," explained the Animal Defense councilor of the city, Pedro Sena.
However, he also added that for the process to work “it is very important that the surrounding community collaborates and respects the cat colonies, namely by not placing food in the vicinity, nor removing the cats from the colonies”.
Another piece in the overall strategy to reduce tourist flows to the city
The previous mayor was forced out of office following a no-confidence vote in the city council
Modern traffic lights do more than regulate the flow of vehicles at crossroads, they also collect enormous amounts of data
In addition, the federal government has launched the National Week of Action against Bicycle Theft to raise awareness of the issue and the new solution
The facility will replace the need to have water supplied by tankers from Valencia
Modern traffic lights do more than regulate the flow of vehicles at crossroads, they also collect enormous amounts of data
In addition, the federal government has launched the National Week of Action against Bicycle Theft to raise awareness of the issue and the new solution
The initial legislation didn’t include these public areas as restricted places for smoking pot
These allow car owners to ride for free when heavy winter conditions make driving unsafe
The initial legislation didn’t include these public areas as restricted places for smoking pot
The service will operate during peak hours in the morning and evening
The festivity is also known as the Day of Books and Roses
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
Catch up with some recommendations for the 2024 European Capital of Culture programme from the mayor of Tartu
An interview with the ICLEI regional director for Europe аfter the close of COP28
An interview with a member of the No Hate Speech Network team