In a move to strengthen animal welfare policies across Baja California, the State Congress has formally called on all seven municipalities to provide a comprehensive accounting of their respective Municipal Animal Control Centers (Cemca).
The measure seeks to clarify how public resources are being utilized and lay the groundwork for a more coordinated strategy heading into 2027.
The initiative, put forward by Congresswoman Liliana Michel Sánchez Allende urges city governments to disclose detailed information on the actions carried out, results achieved, and budgets allocated to animal control services throughout 2026.
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Special emphasis has been placed on strategies aimed at reducing the number of stray animals and promoting responsible pet ownership.
“We need a clear, precise diagnosis of each center’s operational capacity,” Sánchez Allende stated. “Only then can we adjust government policies and effectively tackle the root causes of abandonment on our streets.”
The congresswoman stressed that legal advancements must be matched by tangible action at the local level, given that animal control centers often serve as the public’s primary interface with animal welfare initiatives.
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By demanding this level of detail in reporting, the legislative body hopes to uncover operational shortcomings, improve service quality, and curb the opacity that has historically plagued some municipal agencies.
The information gathered through this process will serve as a technical foundation for evaluating the feasibility of future legal reforms, ensuring that authorities remain accountable for both preventing animal cruelty and safeguarding public health.
Sánchez Allende also noted that Baja California has made notable progress in the protection of sentient beings in recent years.
She pointed to the constitutional reform championed by Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda, which formally recognizes animals as sentient beings, as well as the so-called “Ley Amparito” and “Ley Amparito 2, a pair of reforms designed to strengthen penalties and reinforce the responsibilities of pet owners.
