Athisa Medio Ambiente will stop managing Badajoz’s animal shelter in September. The company cites lack of resources and facility problems. Political and animal welfare groups demand urgent action from the city.
The management of the Badajoz Animal Protection Center is set for a major change after Athisa Medio Ambiente, the company responsible for its operation, announced it will withdraw from the service on September 15. The decision follows months of mounting criticism from political parties and animal welfare organizations over the conditions at the facility, including reports of insufficient shade, exposed water troughs, poor water quality, and inadequate cleaning in some areas.
Athisa Medio Ambiente, which has overseen the center since December 2024, confirmed its departure coincides with the end of an extraordinary extension period that began after its original contract expired. The company defended its record, highlighting that 265 dogs and 143 cats were adopted during its tenure, but acknowledged persistent challenges such as structural limitations, overcrowding that forced temporary intake restrictions, and a recent infectious outbreak managed under veterinary guidance.
One of the most pressing issues cited by Athisa was the intermittent lack of basic resources, notably a stable water supply for cleaning tasks. Despite these setbacks, the company insists it invested its own resources to implement improvements whenever possible and firmly denies allegations circulating on social media that animals were abandoned or euthanized under its management. According to Athisa, all animals received daily food, veterinary care, and necessary attention throughout its administration.
The city council, led by the Partido Popular (PP), has acknowledged that the new contract for the shelter remains “in the process of publication” and is expected to be announced soon. Officials also point to a planned project to upgrade and expand the center, including new equipment and a water treatment plant, which has been included in the municipal budgets for both 2024 and 2025. Municipal sources emphasize that the September 15 end date was anticipated from the outset, as the current arrangement was always intended as a temporary solution following the failed tender process.
However, opposition parties have seized on the company’s exit as evidence of deeper problems. Unidas por Extremadura’s regional spokesperson, Irene de Miguel, described the departure as positive, arguing that Athisa managed the shelter with insufficient guarantees for animal safety. She highlighted the lack of shade, potable water, and proper conditions during heatwaves, urging the city to use this transition to adopt a more humane and quality-focused management model. The Socialist Party (PSOE) echoed these concerns, with spokesperson Silvia González stating that Athisa’s own statement confirms many of the deficiencies the party and local volunteers have raised for years. The PSOE is demanding explanations about how the city handled periods when the shelter could not accept more animals and what measures were taken to ensure the collection of strays during those times. The party also criticized the repeated budgeting of a new municipal kennel without progress on the project’s tender.
Other groups, such as PACMA, have pointed out that Athisa Medio Ambiente has faced controversies in other Spanish municipalities, including administrative proceedings in Bahía de Cádiz and Logroño, municipal inspections in Granada that led to the temporary relocation of animals, and criticism from animal welfare associations during the Valencia municipal shelter tender process.
For context, recent legal disputes involving public officials and the management of sensitive cases have also drawn attention in Spain, as seen in the ongoing investigation into a former police official’s conduct, detailed in this report on a high-profile legal case.
Animal shelters in Spain are typically managed either by municipal authorities or through contracts with private companies. The sector has faced scrutiny in recent years over standards of care, transparency in operations, and the adequacy of public funding. The situation in Badajoz highlights the challenges of maintaining essential services amid contract disputes and resource constraints. As the city prepares for a new tender, the outcome will be closely watched by animal welfare advocates and local residents alike, given the shelter’s role in managing stray and abandoned animals in the region.
