The Spanish city of Terrassa in northeastern Catalonia has temporarily banned the "adoption" of black cats from animal shelters to prevent potentially sinister "rituals" during Halloween. This was reported by UNN with reference to the BBC.
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All requests for fostering or adopting these animals will be rejected from October 6 to November 10 to protect them from harm or use as props, the local animal welfare service said.
Deputy Mayor Noel Duque told RTVE that requests for black cat adoptions usually increase around Halloween.
While black cats are often associated with witchcraft and considered bad luck in Western culture, many other cultures, including Japan and Egypt, view them as symbols of prosperity and wealth.
Terrassa City Council stated that there had been no cases of cruelty to black cats in the city, but incidents had occurred in other areas, and the decision was made after warnings from animal welfare groups.
We are trying to prevent people from adopting because it is fashionable or impulsive. And in such cases, which we know exist, to prevent any terrible practices
According to local authorities, Terrassa is home to more than 9,800 cats, and the city's adoption center houses about 100 cats, 12 of which are black, according to the Catalan News Agency.
The city council emphasized that this measure is "temporary and exceptional" and is an additional precaution for animal welfare, but does not rule out repeating the ban in the future.
Exceptions during the ban period will be considered individually by the adoption center, and normal fostering requests will resume after Halloween.