Overview
- Authorities say a January 7 judicial operation removed hundreds of animals from the Refugio Franciscano, with an official preliminary count of 936 placed in temporary care across the Animal Surveillance Brigade, SEDEMA’s Ajusco facility and Utopía in Gustavo A. Madero.
- After meetings with refuge representatives and animal groups, the government approved organized inspections of all holding sites and invited civil society to help craft new shelter regulations.
- Mayor Clara Brugada vowed not to criminalize the refuge’s directors, promised resources and technical support for shelters, and said no construction permits will be authorized on the disputed property.
- At Utopía GAM, 183 dogs are being housed temporarily until January 23, when they are scheduled to move to the Animal Protection Brigade as the city begins an adoption process.
- Morena leader María Luisa Alcalde and city secretary César Cravioto defended the intervention as a rescue and described the protests as politically driven, while refuge representatives allege deaths and missing animals, claims not confirmed by officials.