The law for the protection of animal rights and welfare, one of the flagship projects of the Spanish left-wing government, was almost rejected in Parliament. The reason: an amendment, previously approved by the socialist wing of the executive with the help of right-wing parties, to exclude hunting dogs. Despite boycott threats from its coalition partner, the radical left party Unidas Podemos finally allowed it to be narrowly approved, Thursday, February 9, at first reading, by a narrow majority of 174 votes for and 167 against.
Since the first draft of the bill was presented in October 2021, this controversial bill, too demanding for some, not ambitious enough for others, has continued to unleash passions. So much so that in March 2022, during a massive demonstration in “defense of the rural world”, the slogans against “the animalist dictatorship” and in favor of “freedom” had dominated the procession, made up of tens of thousands of hunters from all over the kingdom.
While more than 280,000 pets are abandoned every year in Spain, according to a report by the Affinity Foundation obtained from animal shelters, the objective of the law is both to strengthen the protection of animals, to define the duties and responsibilities of their masters and tougher penalties in the event of ill-treatment and abandonment, up to three years in prison in the event of aggravating circumstances.
Obligation to neuter cats
Among the main novelties, the text imposes training on all people who wish to acquire a dog. Those who already have one will have two years to follow it. They will also be prohibited from leaving their dog for more than twenty-four hours alone, unsupervised (seventy-two hours with regard to other domestic animals), nor from locking it up on a balcony, terrace, cellar or in a closed car. All pets must be identified, as well as their masters. Finally, those who wish to cross them to have puppies must first register in a register of animal breeders, undoubtedly one of the measures which had raised the most reluctance in the world of hunting.
Regarding other animals, cats must be castrated during the first six months of their life, unless their owner is registered in the register of breeders. Pet shops have twelve months to stop selling dogs, cats and ferrets for “that children know that a dog is a living being that will have to be taken care of all its life, not a whim”, explained the minister of social rights, Ione Belarra, of Podemos, the origin of the law.
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