In many houses in the Community of Valencia, they are one of the family members and the only friend of three of the five seniors living alone. They provide love and quality of life, reduce our doctor visits and improve our health, but who cares for theirs?
We currently have insurance for everything, be it car, flat or motorcycle, but not for the health of our animals. But veterinary costs are rising. Inflation is suffocating many households financially, and going to the vet has become a luxury.
We are the Spanish Community with the largest number of families living with dogs and cats, but many can no longer take them to the vet. Preventive treatments such as vaccines have decreased rapidly, surgeries have been postponed, and the possibility of our animal catching the slightest disease is experienced by the pain of not being able to afford the treatment at home.
For all these reasons, when Carlos Mazón, the PP candidate for the Government of the Generalitat Valenciana, asked me to help him develop a program to protect animals, I spoke to him about a key measure: Social Security for Animals.
What would Social Security look like for Carlos Mazón’s animals? It would be a reimbursed system, previously agreed with veterinarians and insurers, where anyone could voluntarily apply. No cheats or cardboard. For a flat fee of 50 Euros per year, users can get free assistance for their animals at their veterinarian. It will be the first step in a Community to ensure the health of our animals.
Of course, this is not the only measure. I also talked to him about the need to organize volunteers to take care of animals when a person living alone with their animal is hospitalized, or when an elderly person can no longer clean or walk their dog.
All these social proposals for the protection and welfare of animals today are part of the PP program in the Community of Valencia, among many other things that can and should be done. Issues affecting the fight against abandonment, abuse or the need to be able to save animals in danger when fire or natural disasters occur.
These are essential elements of pure common sense, which protects animals and, of course, protects us all.