Laika to Exit Andorra Cat Shelter Management by End of 2026

Laika, the animal welfare association managing Andorra's Centre de Protecció de Felins (CPF) in Borda Vidal, Sant Julià de Lòria, has confirmed it will not participate in the upcoming public tender for the facility's management and will end its role by the close of 2026. The group, which took over the site on 17 September 2020 following a national tender process, wants to redirect efforts toward rescuing vulnerable cats, supporting colonies, caring for kittens and animals with special needs, and public awareness campaigns.

Laika described the CPF's function as a "fourrière"—limited to abandoned or surrendered cats available for adoption—as misaligned with its broader mission. The centre ended 2025 with 30 cats on site, despite capacity for 50, and recorded 47 adoptions that year. An original handover date of 30 April 2026 has been pushed to year-end by agreement with the Department of Agriculture and Livestock, ensuring continuity during the tender process. Laika will handle daily operations in the interim.

The association formally notified the department of its decision late in 2025, as detailed in the department's annual report, though some reports mentioned early 2026 communication. Recent statements from Laika firmly reject any possibility of reapplying, countering earlier suggestions in certain outlets that it might reconsider. The six-year tenure saw "extremely complex and often even contentious" relations, per the report: 2021 brought complaints from other groups about facility degradation, a letter from Laika's board to the head of government over chronic underfunding, and departmental requests for technical upgrades and protocol compliance. Current dealings remain cordial.

The government plans to launch the tender soon this year and expects competitive bids. Without suitable applicants, the department could resume direct temporary oversight, as before Laika's involvement. Meanwhile, the GosSOS-run Centre de Protecció de Canins (CPC) logged 68 intakes in 2025—43 private surrenders mostly tied to housing issues, 12 roadside abandonments, and 13 returns to owners—plus 54 adoptions. It ended the year with 27 dogs on site and 16 in foster care. Wider welfare activities encompassed 12 formal complaints on pet dogs, about 2,800 public inquiries (roughly 10 daily) from individuals, groups, vets, and communes, adoption drives, responsible mountain behaviour campaigns, Civil Protection partnerships, and handler training for potentially dangerous dogs.