New Animal Shelter Facilities in Marbella
The Mayor of Marbella, Ángeles Muñoz, announced on Monday the launch of the new facilities for the Triple A animal shelter. The construction work has been completed almost two years after it began, following two budget modifications that resulted in an almost 50% cost overrun, exceeding 1.8 million euros. Although the shelter has not yet moved to the new facilities, as reported on their social media, the mayor has already announced the launch.
Construction Timeline and Criticisms
The construction, promised since 2019, began in April 2022, and has essentially lasted two years, during which there has been much criticism from volunteers. The mayor visited the facilities in March 2023 and stated they were 80% complete. It appears that an additional year was needed to complete the remaining 20%.
Unexplained Cost Overruns
Muñoz has boasted about the new equipment, but what she has not explained is the significant cost overrun of the construction. According to documentation accessed by Marbella24horas, it was necessary to increase the budget by just over 600,000 euros. Specifically, two modifications were made to the contract awarded for 1,255,472.47 euros to the companies Magtel Operaciones and Construcciones Pérez Limones. The first change was in March 2023, when 247,121.12 euros were added, representing a 20% increase. Then, in October of the same year, another increase of 361,810.32 euros was made, adding almost 30% more. In total, the final budget was 1,864,403.91 euros, representing a cost overrun of 608,931.44 euros, or 48.50%.
New Facilities and Services
The mayor highlighted that the new facilities, with 2,000 square meters of building on a plot of almost 5,000 square meters, meet the highest quality standards and are adapted to new legislation. The equipment is designed to ensure the welfare of dogs and cats with separate spaces, recreation areas, and a health area with operating rooms. In total, there is capacity to accommodate 600 pets, Muñoz pointed out, emphasizing the separation of large and small dogs into different areas, as well as potentially dangerous breeds or those in quarantine. She also stressed that Triple A offers not only a shelter service, but also has a veterinarian who can attend to pets in the two equipped operating rooms.
