The parliament is set to discuss proposed amendments to the animal cruelty legislation today. The PAN party advocates for expanding the law to include animals beyond pets, while Chega suggests extending the framework for the mistreatment of pets.
PAN argues for measures ensuring the legal framework of animal mistreatment, proposing a clearer definition of the concept. Currently, the Penal Code considers such crimes only against pets, but PAN recommends establishing a broader crime of animal mistreatment. “We believe the criminalization process for animal mistreatment now covers adequate precision and scope,” reads the bill.
Chega retains the category of pets but suggests increasing the current penalty from six months to two years, to a term of one to two years of imprisonment.
In January of last year, following a request from the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Constitutional Court ruled that the provision criminalizing mistreatment of pets is not unconstitutional.
Several judicial decisions, at both the first instance and appeal levels, have deemed the crime of animal mistreatment unconstitutional, yet judges at the Palace Ratton determined that animal welfare is protected by the Constitution.
