The protection and welfare of pets would be included in the Mexican Constitution so that the federal Congress can legislate on the responsible possession of animals.
The opinion of the United Committees of Constitutional Points and Legislative Studies of the Senate, ready for debate and vote in the plenary, points out that Mexico ranks in third place in the world in cruelty to animals.
Thus, it is more than justifiable that the Federation assumes a responsibility and commitment to develop legislation in this area, the committee says.
The legislation that follows from this addition to section XXIX-G of article 73 of the Constitution shall cover the protection and welfare of pets from the aspects of public health, education, environmental protection, respect and dignified treatment.
Based on reports from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), the study of the constitutional addition points to more frequent types of abuse of overcrowding, beatings, abandonment, poor diet and exposure of pets that have to live in the open.
“The figures [of abuse] are alarming, such as episodes of violence,” and there have been cases in which authorities and users of social networks have acted in rescue and safeguarding pets.
Sanctions have been requested, but there are no satisfactory results, indicates the opinion, which also states that in Mexico these forms of cruelty are not a crime.
Text: El Universal
Photo: Courtesy
