The termination of the contract with Clínica Veterinária Ricardo Ltda. obligates the Campinas City Hall to find a new location to house 374 dogs that were under the clinic's care in Mairinque.
The animals were under the responsibility of Clínica Veterinária Ricardo Ltda., which was the contracted company to provide lodging, food, and necessary assistance to the animals of the Department of Animal Protection and Welfare (DPBEA). The agreement, which is renewed annually, had its last extension in January 2026. However, the clinic notified the city hall on August 12 that it was not interested in continuing the service for another period, without providing formal justifications.
The current contract expires on January 19, 2027, the date until which the animals can remain under the care of the current company. The report sought out Clínica Veterinária Ricardo Ltda. to understand the reason for non-renewal and the plans for the transfer of the animals, but received no response until the latest update.
Contract began in 2023
The hiring of the clinic occurred in 2023, through an electronic bidding process conducted by the city hall. The winning company accepted the tender with a cost of R$ 18.50 per day per animal, totaling an initial value of R$ 2.6 million for a 12-month period.
The public notice stipulated that the shelter should accommodate about 400 dogs and cats and be located at most 150 kilometers from the DPBEA in Campinas, aiming to prevent stress and suffering caused by long commutes. Furthermore, the document allowed department employees to conduct inspections at the contractor's facilities.
The tender itself indicated the limited space at the DPBEA as the reason for contracting an external structure. According to the public notice, the department's capacity was restricted, partly due to the need to isolate certain animals, such as aggressive or difficult-to-live-with ones. The contract also defined that, at the end of the service provision, the Campinas City Hall would be responsible for collecting the animals.
Clinic was subject to Federal Police operation
In May, Clínica Veterinária Ricardo Ltda. was investigated in Operation Castratio, conducted by the Federal Police. This operation investigates suspicions of fraud in spaying and neutering contracts for animals linked to the Secretariat of Agriculture of Rio de Janeiro. The investigations involved contracts exceeding R$ 200 million and resulted in warrants served in both Rio de Janeiro and Mairinque and São Roque (SP).
At the time of the operation, the company declared that its activities have always been based on 'honesty, transparency, and legality,' making itself available to control bodies and expressing confidence that the investigation would confirm the regularity of its operations and contracts.
When questioned by g1, the Secretariat of Climate, Environment, and Sustainability (Seclimas) stated that it was unaware of the investigation involving the clinic. Seclimas clarified that Clínica Veterinária Ricardo currently provides two services to the Campinas City Hall: Animal SAMU and the housing of dogs and cats in Mairinque. According to the secretariat, no irregularities were detected in the contract or the execution of municipal services.
The city hall also assured that the monitoring of the agreement continues according to the agreed conditions and that the Federal Police investigation did not modify the contractual relationship with the company. The municipal administration added that it has no information linking Operation Castratio to the clinic's decision not to renew the contract, reiterating that the withdrawal came from the company itself and was formally communicated in August.
g1 contacted the Federal Police and the Attorney General's Office (PGR) to check if the company was still under investigation, if there were any updates since May, and if there were indications of irregularities related to the contract with the Campinas City Hall. The PGR reported not finding public procedures on the matter but warned that confidential information is not accessible in its systems. The Federal Police, meanwhile, stated it would not disclose details about ongoing investigations.
Lack of space is a concern
The need to define a destination for the animals was already a topic of discussion in the Municipal Council for Animal Protection and Defense (CMPDA). The minutes of a meeting held in August were published in the Official Gazette this Tuesday (29).
During the meeting, representatives of the DPBEA highlighted that the capacity to house the dogs was the biggest concern given the return of the animals. At that time, the department estimated that, even after renovations and expansions, the municipal infrastructure could accommodate about 272 spots. Considering the animals already present in Campinas and those kept in Mairinque, this projection indicated a deficit of approximately 180 spots. It is important to note that these figures were estimates from August, while now the city hall confirms that 374 dogs reside in Mairinque.
The document also mentioned that the municipality was conducting a survey of the animals and developing a transfer plan. The planned actions included identifying how many dogs could be socially reintegrated, which ones required specialized care, and intensifying efforts to promote animal adoption. As recorded in the minutes, the cats also housed in Mairinque had already been returned to Campinas throughout the current year.
City Hall evaluates alternatives
In conversation with g1, the city hall informed that it is studying various measures to ensure shelter, food, management, and veterinary assistance for the animals after the end of the agreement. Among the options considered are: expanding the existing structure; establishing collaborations with other entities; increasing the realization of adoption events; or launching a new tender to hire another shelter and care facility.
Additionally, the municipal administration announced that PUC-Campinas is part of the veterinary support network for the DPBEA's animals.