In Quinchía, no one expected that giving water to a dog could result in a fine.
Mayor Jader de Jesús Clavijo Bañol proposed penalizing those who feed five stray dogs that neighbors nicknamed ‘the Serrucho gang.’ According to him, the animals chase motorcyclists and create a public health problem, so the solution was to target the people who lend them a hand, rather than the underlying problem.
Senator Andrea Padilla responded bluntly that the measure has no legal basis whatsoever, and congresswoman Esmeralda Hernández went further: she organized a feeding event for homeless dogs and cats on July 23, right in Quinchía. Animal welfare organizations are already calling for the Attorney General’s Office to intervene, while the mayor insists that his words were edited to make him look bad. The question hanging in the air is simple: since when does solidarity need permission?
