Most of the animals that enter the circulation areas

Restricted and high-risk seeks food and shelter

Rio de Janeiro (RJ), September 20, 2023

Across Brazil, cases of animal abandonment in areas close to Electrical Substations are common. Cats and dogs are the biggest victims of this practice, provided for as a crime in Federal Law 9,605/1998 amplified by Federal Law 14,064/2020. These animals often enter restricted access areas in search of food and shelter. Their presence in Electrical Substations can cause serious problems for distributors and, especially, for the population, such as the interruption in the supply of electricity and even the risk of fires.

The proximity of the animals to these structures can cause electric shock, causing serious accidents depending on the proximity to the electrical current. In addition, the presence of animals may pose a risk to employees who carry out activities in the electrical system. Neoenergia advises the population not to abandon animals in these and other areas, and to always seek help from the municipal Zoonosis Centers so that they can be collected at the appropriate location.

“Abandoning animals is a crime provided for by law in Brazil. Abandoning them near Electrical Substations can cause serious accidents and the population must actively participate as a surveillance agent and report cases of abandonment in these areas,” says Harley Albuquerque, Health and Safety Manager at Neoenergia.

Neoenergia follows Technical Guidelines in cases of interaction between wild and domestic animals in areas of Electrical Substations and other structures owned by the distributor. The document establishes technical criteria for the prevention, control/mitigation, and elimination of complications with fauna. It is up to all Neoenergy employees to act in a preventive manner to minimize impacts on fauna, not to mistreat animals at the distribution facilities and to preserve the natural biodiversity surrounding the Neoenergia Group's facilities.