The Spanish parliament has voted to give domestic animals pets the same legal status as human beings. Up to this point, animals were regarded in law as 'objects' as opposed to living beings, and the new legislation will mean that those harming them could face much stricter punishments.
The new law also means that animals will be part of divorce hearings and need to be accounted for in wills and inheritance. Judges may also rule on whether one partner in a divorce is more likely to care for a pet, the same way judge's preside over children.
In Spain, approximately 50% of all households have a pet of some sort currently under their guardianship.
France, Germany, Austria and Portugal are four other European countries which currently give legal status to animals.
The law was put forward by the radical leftist party Podemos and supported by all other political parties in parliament, with the exception of the far-right neo-fascist Vox party.
Lola GarcÃa, a Spanish lawyer, said of the new laws:
"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."
Sandra Guaita, a Socialist MP, who voted in favour of the new law, said:
"We should accept that animals are not objects, they are living beings which feel and suffer."
Spain has a long and controversial history with animal rights. For many years bullfighting , in which a bull was tormented and then speared to death, was a national sport and a defining symbol of the nation. The cruel sport has however been banned in many areas of the country in recent years.
Polls show the majority of Spaniards oppose bullfighting in all its forms and that only around 25% of the Spanish population still see bullfighting as acceptable.
[h/t: i news]
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