In a major victory for animal welfare, a new law in Spain has granted pets the same legal status as people, classifying animals for the first time as “living beings” rather than as objects.
Dogs, cats, and other pets will be treated the same as children are in divorces, inheritance, and debt proceedings, with judges making custody and financial decisions based on an animal’s best interests. People who find abandoned pets will be legally obligated to contact authorities and to try finding the animal’s guardian, as they would for a lost or abandoned child.
The new legislation also criminalizes the mistreatment of pets and enables guardians to seek compensation if someone harms their pets.
Judges also will decide whether to grant shared custody of an animal during divorce proceedings, as they do for children. That tenet of the law is important, as nearly half of Spain’s households have pets while the country has the European Union’s fourth-highest divorce rate.
These welcomed changes, supported by all except one political party, reflect the changing consensus about animal welfare. Spain joins a growing list of European countries that have extended similar legal status to pets, including France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Portugal.
“This shows that we are changing our mentality and see animals as living beings with the capacity to feel pain, happiness, sadness, and are nothing to do with a piece of furniture or a show,” civil rights lawyer Lola García told La Vanguardia.
Lady Freethinker (LFT) applauds this progressive policy. But there’s still more to achieve on the animal welfare front in Spain.
As regional governments gear up to revive bullfighting, amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and despite dwindling public support, the country remains at the forefront of controversy surrounding the gruesome bloodsport.
We must continue to make our voices heard until all animals — including bulls who are slowly and painfully killed in the name of entertainment — are protected from cruelty. If you haven’t yet, sign LFT’s petition urging Spanish Ambassador to the United States Pedro Morenés to call for a complete and permanent ban on bullfighting in Spain.
What’s New…
Bravo Spain. Animals are living, breathing and thinking sentient beings.
The soul is the same in all living creatures, although the the body of each is different.———HIPPOCRATES
Sad to realize some countries are still considering these loving companion animals as objects? How on earth some people are so backward & stupid. THANKS FOR THE SPAIN TO CONSIDERE THESE ANIMALS ARE A FAMILY MEMEBRS. Also I would be happy if the Spain BAN the cruel gruesome Bull fighting soon. That truly makes me sick to my stomach.
Wonderful!
STOP PLAYING WIFH HUMSNS WHO CHAIN ANIMALS SND THEN MAKE THEM SUFFER. SAME TREATMENT FOR THESE SAVAGE EVIL MONSTERS EHO DO THESE HORRIFIC THINGS TO INNOCENT ANIMALS!!!!!!!!
The time has come for SPAIN to ban all bull fighting. No running of the bulls either. A blood thirsty barbaric sport and form of entertainment. Bulls are majestic creatures and do not belong in the ring to suffer the outrageous provoking, stabbing and slow eventual painful and bloody death. BAN BULL FIGHTING & THE RUNNING OF THE BULLS!!
Give back to people who hurt animals! They TOTALLY MAKE ME SICK do back to these people 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
Now, let’s all work to make this the law here in the USA! My cat is NOT a piece of furniture, and her worth is much higher than her “market value.” More than time to recognize this NATIONALLY!
Big jump for them but how do Bull’s not classify as a Live in being, therefore, it’s treated humanely?
On one hand I want to say bravo for what Spain is doing because it is good; on the other they are horrid to galgos and still revel in the killing of bulls under the guise of tradition. Do they really think that dogs who are not pets and bulls suffer any less than “pets”?
This is awesome, thanks for sharing! I didn’t see the option to share on social media so I pasted the URL on FB page. It would be nice to have links on this page…unless there are some and I missed them.
Beth
What kind of mess is that? The cop should have lost his job. F___that. Hope the dog was not killed. U all need to have management classes for hot tempered cops. He might harm a citizen. I don’t believe you all kept the maggot on the force. Just hope he does not harm a person.
Well that’s good news. Now, what about making bulls living, living beings instead of object of amusement.