15/02/2016
Samarco and its partners in the front of assistance to domestic animals rescued in Mariana (MG) and Barra Longa (MG) have started a process to decide about the future of the animals assisted in the rescue centers set up by the company. The actions for the allocation of theses animals will be drafted from a meeting that takes place today (Feb 15th) with a committee of representatives of institutions, NGO’s, vets and volunteers who are reference in the defence to animal rights.
One of the first actions to be discussed will be an event for adoption of small animals, forecasted to take place before 31st March. Prior to that, interviews for the identification of owners will be completed, aiming to return the animals to their owners, when possible. Currently, 182 small animals as cats and dogs are kept under the assistance of the company.
The committee was idealized during a a meeting held on Feb 2nd in Mariana with partners who helped Samarco in the animals rescue. The company presented results of this work, which has been done since Dec 10th, when Samarco oficially took over the responsability for assuring quality of life and providing feed to the animals affected by the dam burst.
Among the performed actions we can mention the rennovation of two structures for the accommodation and assistance of small and big animals as well as the implementation of a vet hospital with a surgery center, pharmacy and maternity. The most recent initiative was the transfer of medium and large size animals such as horses, donkeys, cows, pigs, ducks, geese and chickens – from a warehouse to the Bom Retiro Farm, rented by Samarco on Jan 29th. Altogether, 172 animals are now living in an environment of 240 hectares, with the assistance of two vets, a pharmacy, grasslands and stalls for night shelter.
In the future, those animals which could not be returned to their owners nor adopted, will be taken to a sanctuary to be set up by Samarco in a place yet to be chosen. This shall be a permanent place for the animals to live and be assisted for an indefinite period of time.
All the measures taken by Samarco and their partners are provided in the TCP – Preliminary Commitment Term – signed with the Special Group for Defence of the Fauna of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Minas Gerais (MP-MG) in Dec 18th . The measures taken by the company and its partners are set in (link para a matéria de 26/12, referente ao TCP). The document referenced the effort made in partnership with associations and vlunteers regarding animal assistance.
