The rules for controversial ‘donkey taxis’ in Mijas have been updated by the local town hall.
A new decree signed by the conservative mayor Ana Mata (Partido Popular), states that the taxis should be paused or stopped altogether in extreme bouts of heat.
If state weather agency Aemet issues a yellow alert for heat, then the donkeys must not be put to work between 2pm and 6pm.
If an orange or red warning is in place, then they must not work at all until the alert is deactivated.
Secondly it calls on donkey owners to clear up after their animals, or face serious fines.
The document says: ‘The excrement collection system at all stops on this service will be the responsibility of the concessionaires. Failure to do so will be punishable as a serious offence.
‘Likewise, the concessionaires will also be responsible for cleaning up animal excrement along the route.’
The ruling advised donkey owners to use ‘preventative’ bags that can be attached to the donkey and collect their excrement ‘before it falls to the ground.’
It added: ‘It is also important to remember that failure to comply constitutes a serious offence, punishable by a fine of €750 to €1,500.’
Finally, it ordered that the rope used to tie the animals up be no shorter than 50cm to guarantee ‘a minimum standard of freedom of movement and well-being for the animals.’
Mijas town hall said the new rules ‘demonstrate its commitment to the safeguarding and well-being of riders, coachmen, and the animals themselves.’
That is unlikely to appease animal activists in the region, who have been demanding the business be banned altogether.
Among such groups is animal rights political party PACMA, which has repeatedly denounced Mijas town hall over the tourist activity.
Tensions mounted last year when a British tourist filmed the donkeys suffering in the sweltering summer heat and shared the footage online, sparking a fierce backlash.
