Friday, 16 April 2010 10:00

Dear Friends: In order to continue to share the proposals to protect animals, carefully let me share with you the letter that Rep. David Moon was sent to the Mayor of Bogota, Samuel Moreno Rojas, requesting the prompt eradication of vehicles animal traction, also known as "bitches" - in the city.

Please feel free to share this letter with all stakeholders on the subject!

Yours sincerely,



HERRAN PAULINE OCAMPO
Legislative Advisory
House Representative David Luna Sanchez
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.davidluna.com.co
PBX: (57-1) 322 0909
Address: Calle 68 No. 5-71
Bogotá - Colombia

D.C. Bogotá, April 13, 2010

Job No. 0079 - 2010 CR


Doctor

SAMUEL MORENO ROJAS
Mayor of Bogota
Mayor of Bogotá
Carrera 8 # 10-65
City

Dear Mr. Mayor, As you are aware, we are now pushing the Bill No. 044, 2009 (House) which seeks to amend the Act 84 of 1989, through which issued the Animal Protection Status.


Among its provisions seek to, within twelve months from the enactment of the Act, animal-drawn vehicles out of traffic on urban roads in the municipalities of special category and first and second category.

Among its purposes, the bill seeks to address the comments raised by the Ministry of Transport in the process leading to the Constitutional Court to utter the sentence C - 481, 2003, which stated that "(...) the restriction vehicles Delos animal traction is clearly intended a social purpose for the municipalities of the first category of development that requires mobility and circulation conditions for both people, goods and vehicles, so that large cities have chosen to promote mass transit and passenger special routes have been designed. "

In that case, the Department requested the Constitutional Court that Article 98 of Act 769 of 2002-National Traffic Code, entered into force in the municipalities of Special Category of first and second category, which indicated that the restriction was partial and would be confined to city limits, without limiting its movement in rural areas.

However, in opposition to the arguments outlined by the Ministry of Transport, the Constitutional Court ruled that the eradication of animal-drawn vehicles only "(...) must specify, by municipal or district competent authorities to certain roads and for reasons of road safety.

In this effect, C - 481 of 2003 is clear in stating that eradication "(...) not enter into force provided that actually and effectively taken alternative measures and alternative provided in paragraph 2 of Article 98 of Law cited above, in the respective district or municipality. "

However, and as you know, the only cities that implemented this measure have been Medellin and Cali, while Bogotá, DC Case C has failed - 481 of 2003 in a systematic way.

Precisely, the success of the Administration and the Mayor Medellín Alonso Salazar is due both to a firm intention to offer different alternatives to the teamsters and their families, to improve the levels of mobility in the city through the eradication of animal-drawn vehicles and to prevent animal abuse.

For its part, the Administrative Department of Environmental Management (Dagma) from Cali is conducting a process of socialization with carters to collect the debris of the city, to encourage change in the animal-drawn vehicles, a motor vehicle.

These important examples show that it is necessary for Bogota immediately take the decision to eradicate the so-called "bitches", to which must be incorporated decisive action seeking to improve the living conditions of the road, who use these vehicles as a means of subsistence.

Thus, all determinations to make its administration should raise about comprehensive improvement parallel mechanisms for highway and their families, through which productivity and encourage ongoing training, through the accompaniment of programs that promote learning about different building trades and the care of animals.

With this in mind, I call for the establishment of this decision, and do it as soon as possible. Please accept my best wishes for this goal comes to fruition.

Sincerely,



DAVID SANCHEZ
House Representative for Bogotá
PH / DL
d.c. Dr. Andres Uriel Gallego, Minister of Transport
d.c. Dr. Fernando Alvarez, Secretary District Mobility.
d.c. Dr. Alonso Salazar Jaramillo, Alcalde de Medellín
d.c. Doctor Jorge Ivan Ospina Gomez, Mayor of Santiago de Cali
d.c. Carters Associations
d.c. Animal Protection Association