Charlie Smith
MIJAS town hall has denied that its emblematic donkeys are being mistreated during the lockdown.
The councillor responsible for their welfare Nicholas Cruz insisted to the Olive Press that they are ‘being taken out for regular exercise’ and being properly fed.
The town hall added that their ‘burro taxi’ owners are also being given sizeable tax breaks this year to make up for the huge loss in earnings.
His comments came, after various readers contacted our social media sites to complain that they were not being properly cared for.
One reader Susanne Larsen said they were being cooped up unfairly.
However, a video sent appeared to be three years old.
Mijas Councillor Bill Anderson, told the Olive Press: “I have spoken to Nicholas and he has looked into it, and I am informed that they are being taken out on a regular basis for exercise, obviously just with their reins and no traps or heavy loads.
He continued: “And at the last council meeting we agreed unanimously that the taxes the owners pay for them will be cancelled for this year.
“Given that the owners are self employed, they have no income at the moment, so this will help them.”
He added that the council was looking at ways to subsidise the food for the donkeys to ‘ensure that they have enough’.
“We are taking the matter seriously, but, despite some bad press about the donkeys in the past, the owners do care about their animals.”
