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Date Published: 22/02/2022

ARCHIVED - Up to two years in prison for abusing animals in Spain

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The Government of Spain has modified the Penal Code to toughen the penalties for animal abuse

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Up to two years in prison for abusing animals in Spain

Spain currently has one of the worst records in all of Europe for animal abuse, with one pet abandoned every two minutes in this country. As a result, the Council of Ministers decided on Friday February 18 to toughen up its Penal Code to include longer prison terms for people who mistreat their animals.

This is the first regulation of its kind to be approved in Spain on a national scale and coincides with the approval of the new Animal Protection Law; it is expected to come into force in 2023.

You might also like: 20 things pet owners are not prohibited from doing under the new Animal Protection Law in Spain

Under the new law, abusing an animal to the extent that it results in death will lead to a jail term of up to two years – previously, the penalty ranged from between six and 18 months in prison. A person convicted of this serious crime will be banned from any kind of business involving animals and will be prohibited from having pets for up to five years.

If a pet requires veterinary care as a result of abuse, its tormenter will be subjected to 18 months in prison rather than between three months and one year, which was the old penalty.

The long-awaited Animal Protection Law has revolutionised the way domestic animals are treated in Spain; among the many measures are the requirement to take a test before owning a dog and limiting of breeding to registered professionals.

Also of interest: Five popular animals prohibited as pets in Spain

Image: Archive

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