MADRID – The new animal welfare law, if approved by the Spanish Senate, will be the first to serve as a protective umbrella for the entire country and end impunity for animal abusers.
This was said by the Minister of Social Affairs, Ione Belarra, following the approval of the animal welfare bill in the Spanish Parliament. Consequently, the new law contains some points that will directly affect pet owners. One such point is the maximum time an animal can stay home alone.
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There will be different classifications for this rule. Pets should not be left alone and unattended for more than 72 hours at a time. For dogs, this period is reduced to 24 hours, except for sheepdogs. They may exceed this limit if they have a built-in locator to know their location at all times. In addition, they must have shelter at their disposal in bad weather conditions. For animals such as hamsters, cats and birds, the maximum time they can be alone is also three days. Failure to comply with this rule can lead to fines of up to €10,000. The only question is how they will monitor and enforce this.
Which animals should not be kept as pets?
The law will also include a list of animals that cannot be considered pets. This list is not yet final, but mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, chinchillas, rabbits, turtles, parakeets, parrots, lovebirds, snakes, spiders, iguanas, chameleons, geckos and birds from other countries are likely to be excluded.
Dog Owners Course
It is mandatory for dogs to have undergone training to facilitate responsible ownership. Often the lack of knowledge in handling, care and animal ownership leads to problems.
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