Animal abuse is something that simply should not happen. It is very sad to see dogs and cats on the street or living in cages knowing that they have, in most cases, had a horrible past. Many of these furry animals have had the bad luck of falling into very bad hands: hands that instead of caressing and giving them affection, beat them, or fed them when they remembered, and / or did not respect their space.
What to do in a case of animal abuse? How can we help that poor being who is not to blame for anything that is happening to him?
What is considered animal abuse?
In Spain, animal abuse is a scourge that still persists, and that will surely continue unless the laws change. Yes, this is like this: Spanish animal justice still has to improve, and much. To give us an idea, a maximum of three years in prison can befall someone who has killed an animal, as happened to the owner of Pipo, a buzzard who died on the spot in April 2017 when he threw him off the balcony. as reported by the newspaper El Mundo in his day. And even so, the Animalist Party against Animal Abuse (Pacma) had to be presented for the judge to issue that sentence. If he hadn't, he would only have been in prison for a year.
What is considered animal abuse? It is very important to know it to know what measures we can take, since otherwise and unfortunately we would have to look to help the furry in another way. Thus, according to the Penal Code, only the following:
- Mistreat any non-wild animal: It is considered a crime that can be punished with a maximum penalty of one year in jail.
- Kill the animal: sentenced to between six and eighteen months in prison.
- Abandonment of the animal (not wild): It is punishable by a fine of one to six months.
- Stop providing the necessary assistance to the animal: sentenced to between three to six months in prison, or a fine of six to 12 months.
- Amputate or cut off parts of the body (ears, tail) for aesthetic reasons.
In some autonomous communities, such as Andalusia, Extremadura, Cantabria, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, the sale of animals in shop windows is prohibited.
How is animal justice in other countries?
The situation in other countries is very different from what we have in Spain. For example, in Germany, anyone who kills an animal without reasonable cause is punished with up to three years in prison or a fine, causes you severe pain or suffering, or that you submit to them for a long time or repeatedly.
In Switzerland, animals have lawyers. Intentional and cruel mistreatment is punishable by up to three years and up to 20.000 Swiss francs. In addition, serious carelessness, unnecessary inconvenience to any animal, cruel death, shooting domestic animals, using them for shows or advertisements in case of pain or suffering, leaving them exposed to some danger of abandonment, amputation, is also considered a crime. or doping them for sports activities.
In Italy, since 1993, anyone who kills or renders third-party animals is punishable by imprisonment for up to one year or a fine., and whoever makes the animal work hard unnecessarily, tortures him or forces him to perform inappropriate work due to his age or illness.
But these three countries are not the only ones: in Austria, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, animals have rights. In the case of the USA, They were even sentenced to up to 99 years in prison for letting several dogs die.
What to do in a case of animal abuse?
If we have witnessed or suspect that someone is abusing an animal, The first thing we have to do is contact the Police or the nearest administration, like the City Hall. In addition, it is very important - in fact, it is essential for the furry to have an opportunity to live better - to also contact animal associations and non-profit organizations for advice.
It should be noted that, sadly, sanctions are often considered administrative offenses that generally carry a small financial fine. If we want the situation to change, we have to let ourselves be helped by people who know about these issues, such as the Pacma party, or all those volunteers who take care of the animals in Protectoras (Not kennels. The main difference is that in Protectors they do not sacrifice unless nothing can be done for the animal anymore).
Therefore, before acquiring or adopting an animal, be it a dog or a cat, it is extremely important that we think carefully about whether or not we can take care of it. It is a living being that needs a series of attentions, and that does not deserve in any way that we treat it badly.