A company has withdrawn from the contract to capture seven hundred roosters, hens, and chickens from the streets of Torrevieja. This decision means the local council will now have to propose the contract to the next seven bidders, ranked by their offer evaluations. The withdrawal will delay the municipal objective of clearing many areas of the public domain of these birds, which not only potentially cause accidents but also lack veterinary control as they reproduce naturally in urban spaces.

Concha Sala, the councillor for Animal Welfare, stated that the company Econplanin, based in Galicia, justified its withdrawal by claiming it was unaware the captured animals were to be rehomed alive in a sanctuary arranged by the company, a requirement clearly outlined in the proposal documentation. This sanctuary must ensure that the animals are removed without being sacrificed, in accordance with current state legislation on animal welfare.

The council has been in the process of adjudication for seven months for a contract that has a value of just over sixteen thousand euros, excluding VAT, and the award proposal to the withdrawing company was notified in May. However, the areas with the highest presence of poultry in the urban core have not only seen a reduction in their numbers and the size of their usual habitats; instead, their populations have increased as they continue to invade new spaces.

For instance, part of the undeveloped area of Villa Amalia has spread into the abandoned green space of La Veleta. Meanwhile, in the green areas of San Roque neighbourhood, which are not serviced by the new parks and gardens maintenance team, the bird population has multiplied. The situation is aggravated by some residents continuing to feed the chickens in this area and in parks like La Estación, Parque de las Naciones, and Molino del Agua.