Spain's parliament on Thursday gave the green light to an animal welfare law, while also amending the penal code to bring in stiffer penalties for abuses.
The law also makes it obligatory for owners to sterilize cats in a bid to control births and avoid the abandonment or killing of unwanted litters. FILE PHOTO
"This is a very important day because parliament has passed the first animal rights law," since Spain returned to democracy following the 1975 death of dictator Francisco Franco, said Social Rights Minister Ione Belarra of the hard-left Podemos party. The legislation makes it obligatory for anyone adopting a dog to undergo "training" and imposes a ban on leaving a dog alone for more than 24 hours.
Changes to the penal code also stiffen penalties for animal cruelty, ranging from 18 months in prison if the animal needs veterinary treatment or up to three years if the animal dies under "aggravating factors".The legislation mainly relates to pets and doesn't include animals raised for slaughter. Nor does it concern hunting dogs, sparking a rift within the government.
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