This Friday the Spanish Government approved the preliminary draft of the animal protection law, which contemplates prohibiting the slaughter and mistreatment of animals and their sale and exhibition in stores and which will require new pet owners to have passed training in responsible ownership, among other measures. .
In an extraordinary session held this Friday, the Council of Ministers has given the green light to the text that will go to the Congress of Deputies to start processing it as a future animal protection law.
This is the first law in the history of Spain that regulates the protection of animals, as explained by the Minister of Social Rights and the 2030 Agenda, Ione Belarra, who at a press conference after the Council of Ministers highlighted “mistreatment, abandonment and sacrifice” as the “three scourges” that violate the rights of these living beings and on which the future regulation focuses.
Some of the measures that animal groups have highlighted in the text include training that, once the law comes into force, will be mandatory for anyone who wants to live with an animal, as well as the end of the marketing and exhibition of animals in stores of pets, and the limitation of breeding, which can only be carried out by authorized professional breeders.
The sacrifice of animals is also prohibited, except for euthanasia “justified under veterinary criteria and control with the sole purpose of avoiding their suffering”, as well as abandonment, mistreatment – defined as “any action by which pain or suffering is inflicted on an animal” – and its use in fights and in artistic, tourist, advertising or begging activities.
In his speech, Belarra has emphasized that this law ends the mistreatment that has come to be exhibited on social networks, and has alluded to specific cases, such as a video that months ago showed a man drowning a small wild boar or the images of a fox burned alive.
Despite the “growing sensitivity towards animals”, the minister lamented that in Spain “the mistreatment of animals has enjoyed practically total impunity”.
With the future animal protection law, the participation of animals in nativity scenes, parades and processions will also be prohibited and will be regulated in other cultural events, such as pilgrimages and fairs.
The text establishes different levels of sanction in case of infractions: for minor ones, the fine may be between 600 and 30,000 euros (more than 34 thousand dollars); for serious ones, between 30,001 and 100,000 euros (more than $113,000); and, for the very serious, between 100,001 and 600,000 euros (more than $680,000).
In the case of dogs, they will all be considered “companion”, although “working” dogs – for example, guide, police, hunting or shepherd dogs – will have additional provisions that will regulate their activity independently.
Regarding the feline colonies, it recognizes the existence and responsibility of caring for community cats, whose “ethical” management -health care or population control plans- is under the jurisdiction of the municipalities, although the Autonomous Communities must generate the framework protocols.
This law will exclude the bullfighting shows provided for in articles 2 and 10 of Law 10/1991, of April 4.
Parallel to the rule that today receives the green light, Belarra has announced a reform of the Penal Code promoted by the General Directorate of Animal Protection to toughen the penalties for abuse to 24 months in prison resulting in death and 18 months if it involves veterinary care. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
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