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The Council of Ministers approves the animal protection law, which imposes zero slaughter, prevents the sale of pets in stores or circuses with wild animals
The Council of Ministers plans to approve this Friday a modification of the Penal Code for extend penalties for animal abuse. Specifically, it will be increased from 18 months to two years in prison the mistreatment that ends the death of the animal and from three months to 18 months in prison for attacks involving veterinary care, according to government sources explaining to EL PERIÓDICO.
The change will be accompanied by the approval of the animal protection law, which has been pending since the Ministry of Social Rights released a draft in October. The enactment of a state law in this area has been a pending issue for decades, so the entities protectors and experts in animal rights applaud the regulations although they warn that it is “insufficient” since it focuses on pets and animals in the urban environment.
One of the strengths of the new regulation is that it imposes the zero sacrifice. Pet animals may not be slaughtered except for sanitary and euthanasia reasons. Catalonia and the Community of Madrid already have legislation that prevents the premeditated death of animals, but in other regions it is allowed if the kennels or other authorized spaces are full or in other circumstances. Therefore, according to the protectors, Spain is among the countries with increased animal abuse and neglect. It is estimated that an animal is abandoned every two minutes and many of them end up being slaughtered.
The law prevents practices that cause suffering, such as the use of electric collars or spikes, or the possibility of leading dogs tied to a moving vehicle.
pet stores
And to fight abandonment, requires that all pets are identified, vaccinated and can only be raised by professionals. For it, it’s prohibited its marketing and sale in pet storesas well as its display and exposure to the public for commercial purposes.
And they exist more than 13 million animals of identified company. But it is estimated that another seven million are out of control, as they are not registered, a situation that the legal draft plans to reverse.
Circuses and zoos
On the other hand, it Ban animal circuses and the purpose is for zoos and dolphinariums to become recovery centers for native species. They are outside the law bullfights and production or experimental animals, which are governed by specific regulations.
As for pets, the draft distributed in October established that their owners may not leave them on terraces, patios or basements, nor in vehicles closed, exposed to heat or cold, or tied up at the doors of an establishment without face-to-face supervision. The bill also establishes that a pet may not be alone three days in a row and, in the case of dogs, the period may not exceed 24 hours.
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“This is a pioneering law […] that ends with impunity in abuse and with the sacrifice because we can leave our children a country where animals are cared for”, highlighted this Friday the Minister of Social Rights, Ione Belarra.