[Animals] Animals are a little closer to ceasing to be considered real property

[#Wittels-]

The Senate approved with the vote against Vox and the abstention of the PP the law that will cause dogs or cats to be treated as "sentient beings" in order to protect their well-being

The Spanish Parliament took this Wednesday the first step for animals to stop being considered real property or things and to recognize their nature as living beings endowed with sensitivity, that is, "sentient beings", in order to protect their well-being.

With this objective, the Senate gave the green light this Wednesday to a bill of the PSOE and United We Can - the political forces that make up the current Government - to analyze the modification of the Civil Code, the Mortgage Law and the Civil Procedure Law on the regime legal of the animals so that they stop being objects.

After its approval in the Senate by 153 votes in favor, 3 against and 98 abstentions, now this initiative will continue its processing in the Congress of Deputies for its final ratification and its subsequent entry into force, in order to respond to situations such as divorces and separations of couples who, after their breakup, want to continue sharing their life with their pet.

 

In this case, the protection of the animal will be guaranteed against the suffering of taking it away from its home and from its shared life until that moment, dividing the times and burdens of pets in family ruptures, whether they are marriages or common-law couples. If the parties do not agree on this, a judge will decide.

Although all the political forces with representation in the Spanish Senate supported the initiative except Vox, which voted against, and the PP, which abstained, the debate prior to the vote revealed differences of opinion on this issue.

 

While for the socialists the proposal supposes "a necessary change and demanded by the Spanish society", senators of the PP criticized that animals are considered "sentient beings", since that term makes them "objects of rights" and even places them in a position equal to or superior to people. Conservatives warned that the regulations could give rise to such paradoxical situations as that, in the event of divorce or separation, the visitation or alimony of the minors "would be suspended" as there is no agreement of the parents regarding the future of a dog, a cat "or of the goldfish".

 

From the ranks of Vox it is said that it is a law that "makes waters" and that, in addition, it can destroy employment, for example in the sector of the sale of animals in pet stores.

In addition to cases of separation or divorce, the Socialists emphasized that with this law "painful situations such as that, on the occasion of a traffic accident, animals have the same consideration as a suitcase and there is no obligation to attend to them will be avoided. . In addition, we will avoid that they can be seized ”.

 

For its part, the PP indicates that the text of the Bill suffers from an "aberrant" legal error, when it intends to modify the Civil Code by introducing a concept of 'public law' such as establishing measures to withdraw custody of the animal in the event of gender violence.

In parallel and in order to comply with the commitment acquired after the ratification of the European Convention on the Protection of Companion Animals, the Spanish Government has launched a campaign for responsible ownership and has drawn up a guide on the conditions of animal welfare for the road transport of dogs and cats in Spain.

 

Link: https://www.informacion.es/vida-y-estilo/mascotas/2021/11/18/animales-cerca-considerados-cosas-59651481.html