NO MORE CAGED ANIMALS

Three young men and four girls cooped themselves up in cages in Barcelona's famous Ramblas last week to protest cruelty to animals. In addition to the many book stalls located there, Las Ramblas - which runs from the city centre down to the port area - is also home to kiosks that sells poultry, a variety of rodents and tortoises. The protesters, who belong to AnimaNaturalis, also complained that the kiosk owners ignore municipal regulations for the protection of animals that are on sale to the public, especially the one dealing with the size of the cages in which they are kept. The protest had quite a high impact because Las Ramblas is one of the busiest thoroughfares in Spain. The broad central walkway is always crowded by locals and tourists alike, attracted by the books stalls and the Barrio Chino (red light district) that it passes near the port.