Controversy in Alicante's Plenary over the Death of Two Dogs Thrown from a Balcony

The Alicante City Council Plenary debated a proposal from the Compromís group on Thursday, which included a request for the City Council to act as a private prosecutor in the judicial process concerning the death of two dogs. On March 24, a resident of Alicante threw her two Yorkshire terriers and several turtles from the eighth floor of her apartment on Calle del Sol Naciente in the Albufereta neighbourhood.

The debate unfolded in a tense atmosphere, with dozens of people crowding the public area, heckling the councillors. Shouts of "the law must be obeyed" and "not even Peter will vote for you" were heard as protesters demanded justice for Bimba and Max, the two deceased dogs. The continuous interruptions forced Alicante's mayor, Luis Barcala, to call for silence before proceeding with the session.

One of the most tense interventions came from Vox councillor Juan Utrera, who criticised the partisan use of animal rights associations, "even providing the details of a person with a mental illness," he said. "What will happen if this woman cannot withstand the pressure of the campaigns they have devised?" Utrera's statement sparked protests from the audience, with one person shouting, "What if they had been two children?" This prompted a heated response from the Vox councillor, who retorted, "If they kill children and you do nothing?" At this point, Mayor Luis Barcala halted the Plenary as the audience shouted.

The proposal was rejected with votes against from the PP and Vox, as the latter refused the amendment proposed by the PP - which, if accepted, would have led to their support. These opposing votes angered the public, who began shouting and criticising the council's decision. The Plenary was interrupted for nearly five minutes before the session could continue normally. Mayor Luis Barcala invited the protesters to meet after the session.

In this initiative, two animal rights organisations from Alicante sought to intervene. Javier Sánchez García from Konpatas urged the plenary to clearly state that in Alicante, "animals are untouchable." Meanwhile, José Luis Ortuño from Felinos Lo Morant criticised the City Council's handling of urban wildlife.

Compromís spokesperson Rafa Mas defended the proposal with a stern tone. "How many Bimba and Max are needed for this City Council to start enforcing the laws?" The EU-Podem councillor argued that the council "cannot look the other way; acting as a private prosecutor is a political and ethical message."

Among those who voted in favour were also the socialists. Councillor Emilio Ruiz highlighted that "Alicante needs a resource plan and political will to ensure compliance with animal protection laws."

Meanwhile, Health Councillor Cristina Cutanda rejected the idea of the council acting as a private prosecutor, noting that the woman who committed the acts was not on duty, despite being a city employee, and was on sick leave. "The judiciary is there for judges to act," she concluded.