The Animal Welfare Law comes into force this Friday: goodbye to pet shops and circuses with lions

The obligation for pet owners to take a training course, mandatory insurance or identification microchip is delayed

   MADRID, 27 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Exhibiting animals in shop windows, buying them in physical stores or through the Internet, circuses with animals, dog fights or euthanizing an animal unless it is due to extreme necessity and under veterinary supervision will be prohibited in Spain starting this Friday. September 29, with the entry into force of the Law on the Protection of Animal Rights and Welfare.

However, some aspects of the norm have been postponed since they require a regulation for its application that is already prepared, as indicated by sources from the Ministry of Social Rights and Agenda 2030, but that cannot be submitted to the Council of Ministers for approval. approval given the interim nature of the Government.

The regulation, whose processing was not without controversy due to disagreements within the parties of the coalition Government in relation to the treatment that the regulation would give to hunting, rehalas and working dogs, such as Police dogs, finally left out to this type of animals, as well as those used for falconry and some cetaceans that live in zoos and dolphinariums.

Among the curiosities of the exceptions are the Legion's goat, which may continue parading on October 12 in the Columbus Day parade, or the mule and the ox in the 'Living Nativity Scenes', in which they may also participate, at These are working animals, which are outside the norm, except if when they stop being productive, their owner decides to register them as a companion animal in the Animal Registry provided for by the new law in which it will be mandatory to register pets. .

The norm was approved with 174 votes in favor of PSOE, UP, ERC, EH-Bildu and CUP; the abstention of BNG, Teruel Existen and Compromís and 172 votes against the PP, Vox, Cs - which had initially announced its abstention -, PNV, PdeCat, Junts per Cat, Más País-Verdes Equo, UPN, Foro Asturias and PRC.

Another of the issues that were finally excluded from the law and that, therefore, will remain as they were, is the regime for dangerous dogs, which were going to stop being classified by potentially dangerous breeds and instead be evaluated by the character of each one. dog.

Veterinary assistance will be mandatory to guarantee the well-being of the animal and the prevention and control of diseases through hygiene and vaccination. Another novelty is the creation of a new animal and breeder registration system.

All vertebrates must live in "decent" conditions that guarantee their well-being, rights and healthy development and, specifically, those that live in cages, aquariums or terrariums will have to have adequate space. However, the law establishes that the conditions for each species will be developed according to regulations.

When educating or handling the animal, methods that cause suffering, anxiety or fear may not be used and it is prohibited to leave them inside closed vehicles, exposed to thermal or any other conditions that could put their lives and each animal in danger. You will have to pass a periodic veterinary examination that will have to be registered.

Furthermore, in the event of loss or theft, the authorities must be notified within a maximum of 48 hours, since no animal should be left unattended for a maximum of three days, something that in the case of dogs cannot exceed 24. consecutive hours.

The new rule holds the owner responsible for any damage, harm or inconvenience that they may cause to people, other animals or things, public spaces or the natural environment and establishes a system of sanctions.

Starting this Friday, any type of abandonment and mistreatment, aggression or negligence that causes animals suffering, physical or psychological damage or death will be prohibited; leave animals loose, especially in National Parks, ravines where herds or animals graze or other protected natural spaces where they can cause damage.

Likewise, it is prohibited to use animals in public shows, in artistic tourist or advertising activities, that cause them anguish, pain or suffering, although bullfighting shows are excluded. Mechanical attractions or fairground carousels and the use of wild animals in circuses are eliminated "in any case."

Nor may animals be fed with viscera, corpses and other remains of animals that have not passed health controls, nor may animals be used as a lure, reward, prize, raffle, or advertising promotion.

Fighting dogs or training them or instigating them to attack other animals or people is prohibited and the sacrifice of animals is expressly prohibited under any circumstance, for example, old age, illness, not finding an adopter or for economic reasons, except under justified euthanasia and controlled by a veterinarian only in the case of avoiding the animal's suffering due to non-recoverable causes that compromise its quality of life. Nor may any type of mutilation or permanent body modification be performed on them.

Likewise, no vertebrate animal may be tied or roaming without supervision, nor may dogs and cats be kept regularly on terraces, balconies, rooftops, storage rooms, basements, patios and the like or vehicles, nor may animals be kept tied to moving motor vehicles. .

Genetic selection that leads to serious alterations in the health of the animal is also eliminated, as is the commercial breeding of any species of animal by breeders who are not registered in the Registry of Pet Breeders, which is also newly created, as well as Likewise, dogs, cats and ferrets cannot be sold in stores or displayed in shop windows, and the sale of any type of animal on the Internet is prohibited.

Once the rule comes into force, pets will be able to access means of transport, establishments and public spaces, in public and private establishments, hotel accommodations, restaurants and bars. Likewise, they will access public buildings and facilities and shelters, refuges, and care centers intended to care for people at risk of social exclusion, homeless people or victims of gender violence.

Another novelty of this law is the fact that in order to have a dog, a training course must be taken, the validity of which is indefinite and throughout the life of the animal, its owner must have civil liability insurance in force for damage to animals. third parties.

On the other hand, a List of wild species that can be kept as pets will be created; a State Council for Animal Protection, a new advisory body of the Ministry in which the autonomous communities, the FEMP and sectoral organizations will participate, which will be advised by a -- also new -- Scientific and Technical Committee.

Along these lines, the Animal Protection Statistics is created and a State Animal Protection Plan and territorial plans will have to be developed, which must include measures aimed at eliminating animal abuse and reducing abandonment.

For their part, the City Councils will be obliged to collect lost and abandoned animals for 24 hours and house them in an animal protection center, either their own or through agreements with private entities. Public animal protection centers will be obliged to sterilize dogs, cats and ferrets that arrive at these centers.