La Rioja signs agreements with 23 town halls to collect abandoned dogs

The Official Gazette of La Rioja (BOR) number 161, dated August 24, 2026, publishes in its section III of Other Provisions and Acts the summaries of the agreements signed between the Government of La Rioja and a total of 23 city councils for the provision of the service of collection, transport, reception, housing, maintenance, and veterinary assistance for abandoned, lost, and unidentified dogs. The publication is carried out through Resolutions 1278/2026 and 1279/2026 of the Technical General Secretariat of the Department of Finance, Public Governance, Digital Society, and Government Spokesperson.

The agreements, signed by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural World, and Environment, Noemí Manzanos Martínez, are framed within the provisions of article 22 of Law 7/2023, of March 28, on the protection of animal rights and welfare. Their purpose is to determine the conditions of collaboration between the Department and the municipalities for support in the provision of this service, which will be provided at the animal protection center of the Government of La Rioja.

Two blocks of agreements

The first resolution, 1278/2026, signed in Logroño on August 20, 2026, includes the agreements signed on June 4 with twelve municipalities. The second, 1279/2026, dated August 18, 2026, groups the agreements signed on June 24, 2026, with another eleven city councils. In both cases, the publication is handled by the head of the Government Secretariat and Parliamentary Relations Service, Begoña Sáinz Martínez.

Adhering municipalities

The agreements of Resolution 1278/2026 affect the following city councils:

• Rincón de Soto, Hornos de Moncalvillo, Zorraquín, Galilea, Lumbreras de Cameros, Clavijo, Anguciana, Nájera, Entrena, Pazuengos, Cárdenas, and Baños de Río Tobía.

For its part, Resolution 1279/2026 groups these municipalities:

• Torrecilla sobre Alesanco, Medrano, Leiva, Sotés, Ribafrecha, San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Sorzano, Préjano, Canillas de Río Tuerto, Briones, and Santa Eulalia Bajera.

Validity and extensions

The validity of the agreements extends from the date of their signature until December 31 of the second year counting from the year in which they are formalized. They will be automatically extended for a maximum of two more years, provided they are not terminated by any of the signing parties. Exceptionally, they may end their validity through notice from any of the signatories three months prior to the date on which the termination is intended to take effect.

The agreements are registered in the Electronic Registry of Agreements of the Autonomous Community of La Rioja, regulated by Decree 13/2017, of April 12, with registration numbers ranging from 2026/0428 to 2026/0536. The full text of each agreement can be consulted on the transparency portal of the Government of La Rioja.

The signing of these agreements reinforces the animal protection network in the Riojan rural environment, where small municipalities lack their own means to care for abandoned animals. By centralizing collection and veterinary assistance at the regional animal protection center, the agreement guarantees a homogeneous and quality service for the residents of the 23 adhering municipalities, in line with the obligations imposed by state animal welfare regulations.

Source: Official Gazette of La Rioja, no. 161, August 24, 2026, section III. Other Provisions and Acts, pp. 14720-14723 (official references: BOR-A-20260824-III–3270 and BOR-A-20260824-III–3282).