This Friday is a historic day for animal rights in Spain, as the animal welfare law comes into force, which includes penalties of up to 200,000 euros for mistreating pets and a long list of obligations for their owners that has sparked controversy. and applause in equal measure.
One of the most controversial measures is the prohibition of leaving animals tied or wandering without the supervision of their caregiver in a public space, which will mean that the dog cannot be left tied at the door of the supermarket, a widespread practice in our country.
Dogs may not be left alone for more than 24 hours, sales in pet stores will be prohibited and they will be purchased only from breeders, and domestic animals may not be used in public shows or subjected to excessive work.
However, the new animal welfare law comes with gaps and points yet to come into force, since aspects such as the dog ownership course and civil liability insurance will not yet be mandatory in the absence of a regulation.
Hunting dogs will not be included in this legislation either, although it does include other measures such as prohibiting the slaughter of pets in animal protection centers and preventing their slaughter due to lack of space or for economic reasons.
Other aspects will be the permissiveness of euthanasia under veterinary criteria, not leaving other pets unsupervised for more than three consecutive days, identifying pets, guaranteeing health services and turning to an animal behavior professional when there are coexistence problems. .
