These extreme cases illustrate, according to the shelters, the faults of a system where court decisions too often prevail over common sense and animal protection. Although the Walloon Minister of Animal Welfare is not hands on legal decisions, shelters believe that he could have done more to prevent these restitutions.
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A public service
Long silent, Adrien Dolimont wanted to regain control by presenting his “orientation note” on July 2. On the menu: a reform of the detention permit, a hardening of sanctions, a mapping of shelters to better organize the sector and an envelope of 200,000 euros for the sterilization of stray cats. Shared measures, but welcomed with caution. Floriane Brackx, director of without necklace, recognizes expected advances, but she warns, “In order for these measures to have a real impact, they will have to be accompanied by clear deadlines and concrete means to apply them.“Same tone at the director of the SPA in La Louvière:”These are promises. It is reassuring because it shows that the minister did not just wait a year. But now there is a lot of work to do to materialize them.“
“”From the covid, we receive a lot of animals and we are reminded of our usefulness. But when you ask for help, there is no one left.“
It is that the situation in shelters is so tense that, despite their number, these measures may not be enough to put the area afloat. “”Since the COVVID, we receive a lot of animals. And with each wave of abandonment, the public authorities remind us of our usefulness. But when you ask for help, there is no one left“, deplores Gaëtan Sgualdino. Because the shelters are not content to welcome abandoned animals. They are regularly called in reinforcement by the police or by the veterinarians of the animal welfare unit (UBEA), in particular in the event of mistreatment. To be able to intervene in these emergency situations, many refuges sign conventions with the municipalities. But these agreements are far from being sufficient. shelters are little (if not at all) subsidized, but they are expected to respond primarily to calls from the public authorities.
Floriane Brackx, director of the non -profit organization without collar, is categorical: the shelters fulfill a mission of public interest, but without the slightest public support. “”We do not receive a Euro from Wallonia. It is a mission that we carry out with our equity. We are always available, permanently. What we do is a public service.”
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The minister has been slowly
Long before the announcements of Minister Olimont, the shelters already claimed public support to fully assume their mission. This is evidenced by an eleven -page document that the UWPA sent to the Dolimont cabinet on February 3, 2025, detailing the priorities of the sector. A text that we were able to consult. It is stipulated there that “The subsidies allocated to shelters and associations are often insufficient compared to the real needs of the structures. “The lack of training of local authorities is also denounced:”They lack knowledge on the measures and procedures to be followed in the event of abuse or animal negligence“The text was sent in early February but remained unanswered, regrets Gaëtan Sgualdino.
When questioned, Adrien Dolimont defends himself. He says he wants to avoid hasty decisions: “I can question myself on communication and we may have given the feeling that nothing was being done and that there was no progress. But I do not want to make the same mistakes as in the past, making too fast decisions, which in the end are broken by the judiciary a few months later. It does not advance the animal cause.“
An ultimatum on July 15
Except that the Arizona agreements have come to worsen the situation. The reduction in the tax deductibility of donations, increased from 45 % to 30 %, brought a new blow to already weakened finances. Donators are less inclined to make a gesture, and the backtracks to find reduced. “”It is dramatic for our cash. We largely depend on the generosity of people, given the lack of state aid“, worries Floriane Brackx. On this question, Adrien Dolimont Botte in touch.”The shelters fulfill a very important mission, which they assume with a lot of heart. We are aware of their difficulties, and reflections are underway to see how to support them more. But in the current budgetary context, it is not simple.“
Faced with these announcements, the shelters decided to suspend their demonstration scheduled for July 9 in Namur. A gesture of appeasement, to give a chance to the Minister to make his commitments a reality. “”It’s a turning point, but we remain very vigilant“, Breathe Gaëtan Sgualdino. The ultimatum remains in place: if no concrete advance is noted by July 15, the refuges will cease any collaboration with the municipalities. They will continue to welcome abandonment, but will no longer respond to emergency calls.
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