On Friday, 25 September 2026, the Government of the Canary Islands awarded the Colegio Oficial de la Profesión Veterinaria de Las Palmas a service contract covering duties in the management of the animal identification register. According to a statement from the Gobierno de Canarias the contract covers recording and updating data on breeding and working equines, registered equines and camelids in the Registro de Identificación Individual de Animales (RIIA) through the database ZOOCAN. The contract is worth €38,146.57 and will be spread across 2026, 2027 and 2028.
The regional agriculture minister Narvay Quintero met with the college’s board, led by its president, Pablo Javier Varona Cabrera. Quintero was accompanied by the head of the Dirección General de Ganadería, All articles about “Andrés Díaz Matoso”. Quintero said close cooperation with the college was essential to further strengthen animal health, animal welfare, public health and food safety across the islands.
In ZOOCAN, the college will handle the ongoing processing of identification data and ownership details. This includes registering new animals after microchip implantation, changes of ownership and other data, updating veterinary and breeding information, and recording deaths. For registered equines, information from the issuing identification bodies will be entered into and maintained in the regional register. Central management in ZOOCAN is intended to ensure a complete and up-to-date overview of livestock in the Canary Islands. According to the government, this will improve the traceability of animal movements and provide a more reliable basis for planning measures to combat animal diseases.
In Spain, the autonomous communities are responsible for registering certain equines. Under this contract, the Canary Islands administration is making use of the college’s existing infrastructure: it operates ZOOCAN and has the necessary specialist staff. Founded in 1945, the Colegio Oficial de la Profesión Veterinaria de Las Palmas has 1,167 members. In March 2026, it opened its new headquarters in Calle Carvajal in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Since 22 December 2025, the college’s board has included president Pablo Javier Varona Cabrera, who also heads the Consejo Regional de Colegios de Veterinarios de Canarias, as well as other members. Those attending Friday’s meeting included managing director Francisco Rodríguez Castro and Fuerteventura representative María Ángeles Marichal.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).