Navares de las Cuevas approves the ethical management ordinance for feline colonies

The City Council of Navares de las Cuevas has definitively approved the Ordinance regulating the Ethical Management of Feline Colonies of the Municipality, a text that mandates the population control of community cats under the TNR method (Trap, Neuter, and Return). The agreement was adopted by the Plenary in the session of November 20, 2025, and is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Segovia, number 144, of December 1, 2025, with reference RE-18292.

The regulation is issued under article 70.2 of Law 7/1985, of April 2, Regulating the Bases of the Local Regime, and develops state legislation on the matter, particularly Law 7/2023, of March 28, on the protection of the rights and welfare of animals (BOE no. 75, of March 29, 2023). The text proceeds from the premise that feline colonies are groups of cats associated with a territory that live in freedom and depend on the resources provided by humans, and abandons traditional control policies in favor of the TNR method, recommended by the World Health Organization.

Purpose and scope of application

The ordinance seeks to manage the feline population of the municipal district in an ethical and controlled manner, improve citizen coexistence, and protect authorized colonies against acts that harm the welfare of the animals. Its objectives include:

• Defining the requirements for feeding points to ensure the health and sanitation of the colonies.
• Establishing the rights and duties of the network of volunteers.
• Promoting the responsible adoption of the cats that make up the colonies.
• Regulating the Trap, Neuter, and Release service for feral cats, which the City Council will contract.

Authorizations and management of colonies

The text distinguishes between the caregiver, who voluntarily and altruistically takes care of the feeding and care of one or several colonies, and the responsible collaborating person, who controls the population and takes responsibility for its monitoring. To obtain municipal authorization, it is required to be of legal age, prove the absence of reports of animal abuse, and sign an ethical management commitment. Authorizations may be revoked for non-compliance and may be requested again after one year.

Authorized colonies must be located in spaces that meet health and sanitation conditions, with periodic disinfection and pest control by the municipal pest control service. Only dry food and water in quantities appropriate for the population may be deposited at the feeding points. Each colony will be identified with a unique number and a signaling sign, and will be entered into a Registry of Colonies following a municipal visit to the location.

Sanctioning regime

Title VI of the ordinance defines the infractions and their sanctioning regime. Minor infractions are punished with fines of up to 750 euros, and serious infractions, from 750.01 to 1,500 euros. The commission of a third minor infraction within a period of one year is considered a serious offense. The grading of fines and accessory sanctions are adjusted to Title VI of Law 7/2023, and the imposition of sanctions is compatible with the restoration of the altered situation and compensation for damages.

Actions that undermine the integrity of the colonies and community cats, as well as their food and shelter facilities, are prohibited. Dog owners must ensure that their presence does not put cats at risk, and any removal or relocation of colonies shall be carried out under veterinary supervision and following a report from the competent body of the autonomous community.

Impact for the municipality

The ordinance, which will enter into force upon its publication, requires existing colonies to adapt to the new regulations within one year, with new locations if applicable. For the residents, volunteers, and protection associations of Navares de las Cuevas, the regulation provides a clear framework of rights and obligations, a census and monitoring of the feline population, and a sanctioning regime that protects community cats, in line with state animal welfare legislation.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Segovia, no. 144, December 1, 2025, p. 19 (official reference: RE-18292).