Post by account_disabled on Mar 14, 2024 0:17:01 GMT -6
A few days ago the Congress of Deputies approved the Bill for the protection of animal rights and welfare. The process will now continue in the Senate. We analyze some of the main developments. The Animal Rights and Welfare Protection Bill seeks to regulate “the recognition and protection of the dignity of animals by society” and offer legal mechanisms to “promote animal protection and prevent the high degree of abandonment of animals in our country.” Among the main novelties of the Bill, which after being approved by the Congress of Deputies will be examined by the Senate, the following stand out: Mandatory course for dog owners Article 30 of the Bill states that “people who choose to own dogs must prove that they have completed a training course for dog ownership with indefinite validity.” The training will be online and free, and the user will first have to see a series of slides and information and then complete some tests to assess their knowledge of everything necessary to have a pet.
Mandatory civil liability insurance The project also stipulates that the owners of any breed of dog must have civil liability insurance for damages to third parties . This coverage is already included in many home insurance policies. Otherwise, policies for dangerous dogs (already mandatory) range between 50 and 100 euros per year, while for small dogs they can range from 20 to 50 €/year. Animal welfare: Don't leave them CZ Leads alone Another novelty that it introduces is that no pet may be “left unsupervised for more than three consecutive days,” a period that “may not exceed 24 hours for the canine species.” This point does not apply to working dogs, such as sheepdogs. And neither this nor any point would affect hunting dogs that, after intense debate, have been left out of the regulations. There will no longer be a list of dangerous dogs The list of potentially dangerous dog breeds is repealed. From now on, dogs weighing more than 10 kilos will undergo a test to evaluate their sociability by a veterinary ethologist, specialized in animal behavior.
Those who do not pass the test or do not want to do so must use a short leash and muzzle. They cannot be sold in stores Article 59 of the bill stipulates that dogs, cats and ferrets can no longer be sold in pet stores. Whether pets can be shown for adoption as a result of agreements with animal shelters. Only fish, rodents and birds from registered breeders may be sold in stores. Cats and animal welfare Article 26 requires “identification by microchip and surgical sterilization of all cats before six months of age.” This already happened with cats from animal shelters and in some communities. Now it will be mandatory in all cases. Furthermore, Article 46 advocates the CER (Capture, Sterilization and Return) method to manage feline colonies. City councils are required to identify their members with a microchip. The possibility of “capturing a feline colony and moving it to another site to preserve a natural space” is also contemplated. Regarding the pets that will become prohibited, there has been much speculation in recent days. The reality is that this issue will be studied soon. From what it seems, only endangered animals, invasive exotic animals, or dangerous animals will enter the list . The bill gives a period of 4 years to create an exhaustive positive list of animals that are “effectively considered companion animals.” All others will be prohibited.