Adeje Town Hall's Animal Welfare Department under councillors José Antonio López Delgado and Esther Rivero Vargas, organised the first Animal Welfare Conference in the municipality. The event aims to raise public awareness about the importance of animal care and responsible ownership, promote adoption, and highlight the work carried out by shelters, associations, and professionals involved in animal welfare.
The first session, on Friday January 16th, has focused on exploring different areas related to education, conservation, and animal-assisted interventions. The programme began at 10 am with a talk on the conservation of exotic fauna in the Canary Islands,” delivered by Jaime de Urioste from the Neotrópico Foundation in Tenerife. The session focused on the impact of species trafficking in the archipelago, which disrupts the habitats of native species, poses health risks and food competition, and causes sanitary hazards, hybridisation, predation, and a decline in the genetic diversity of native populations.
The speaker illustrated numerous real-life examples of smuggled animals, which “put us all at risk because they have not been controlled by any authority and have not been vaccinated,” among other concerns. He emphasised the importance of coordinated work with state security forces for rapid intervention at ports and airports, as well as in cases that occur in the community.
The next presentation focused on the Iocus Activitae Adeje Project, led by Esther Linares Mateo. She discussed the significance of pairing older adults and people with functional diversity with animals. The initiative promotes the wellbeing of both people and animals through active ageing activities. Participants design and create toys for animals using recycled materials. The animals benefit from these toys, which help reduce stress and encourage natural behaviours. Meanwhile, the older participants observe the positive impact of their work, reinforcing personal wellbeing and group cohesion, motivating them to continue creating and participating.
The project stimulates cognitive skills in older adults, supports emotional wellbeing, encourages social participation, and improves motor skills such as cutting, tearing, tying knots, threading, and other manual tasks, which enhance coordination. The project, currently running in Adeje’s Seniors’ Area, has attracted strong participation.
Finally, there was a season on dog training and animal welfare, led by María Yoamna Benitez Suárez, director of Zen Dog, which addressed the keys to achieving a balanced relationship between people and dogs.
Practical Session
The programme for the first Animal Welfare Conference continues on Saturday 17 at Plaza Pedro Zerolo, with educational activities and demonstrations open to all audiences. The event is designed as a family-friendly meeting space and will run from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Throughout the day, visitors can explore an exhibition with information stands from local shelters and associations, as well as children’s activities such as face painting.
Activities will begin at 10:00 am with the official opening of the conference by the responsible councillor, hosted by Nacho Palacios. At 11:30 am, Juan Carlos Gaspar Cabrera from Gascan will deliver a practical session on dog interactions and canine body language, aimed at improving understanding of animal behaviour. At 12:30 pm, there will be a demonstration by Adeje Local Police’s K9 Unit, focusing on obedience and detection exercises.
The afternoon programme includes a children’s storytelling session with Isabel Bolívar Carrillo of Contando Ando at 3pm and a practical talk on using a leash at 4pm, led by Fenja Mentzy of Wow Dogtrainer Fenja.
