The Animal Welfare Act was passed in the Legislative Assembly on July 26th and it was sent to consultation in the Constitutional Court. However, according to doctors from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the National University (UNA), it requires modifications because it has some legal vacuums that could create confusion.
Nancy Astorga, from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the UNA, declared that the approval of the law is a great first step because it raises awareness and people now know that animals deserve respect and basic care. However, there are some loopholes that deserve a better and prompt definition.
According to Astorga, the changes proposal provides greater awareness about the fact that animals feel pain and are entitled to better conditions. She added that it is important that the reform includes sanctions, because it would punish the person who commits an act of cruelty against an animal. that is reason why it is vital to teach at homes and schools that animals’ lives must be respected.
Changes are needed: the current law does not define whether abuse refers to blows, to have tied or caged animals and even without the minimum, basic conditions.
Another loophole detected by academics is related to death without pain because if the vet recommends euthanasia as the best option, it could cause discomfort in some owners.
In addition, the initiative doesn’t include breeding animals, as the impact of the environment on them is not mentioned, whether or not they have shelter sites or if they are outdoors.
Another aspect that needs to be amended is related to people that adopt animals: it is necessary to establish penalties for them if they abandon their animals.
According to specialists, If the law is not clear, people would lose interest and perpetrators would continue with their acts because complaints would not give results.