Legal rights for rats in Spain: Kill a rat in Spain and go to jail

Spain has approved a new animal welfare law that replaces the term 'pets' with 'vertebrate animals.' According to the new law, harming or killing a vertebrate animal, including rats, will be punishable by imprisonment or fines.

 

The amendment to the criminal code approved by the Spanish Congress provides for “a sentence of six to 18 months’ imprisonment or 18 to 24 months’ community service” for anyone who causes the death of a non-domestic vertebrate animal.

The category of vertebrate includes any animal that has a skeleton with a spine and skull; Therefore, killing a fish, a mouse, a dog or a lizard is punished in the same way.

According to this rule, killing a snake entering the garden requires a prison sentence of between six and eighteen months.

The change also means that if a mouse or rat that enters the house is not shot and killed but causes injuries that require veterinary attention, if reported to the police, it could face a prison sentence of between 3 and 12 months.

In cases of ill-treatment without injury, “a fine of one to two months or a public service penalty of one to thirty days” will be imposed.

In other words, a person who pulls his dog’s leash or speaks badly may face punishment.