From September 29, all pet owners in Spain will be affected by new law governing animal well-being. There are a number of fairly significant changes, and those that take care of animals would do well to familiarise themselves with what they are – or face some fairly hefty fines!
Here is a break down of the most important things that you need to be aware of.
Compulsory training for dog owners
Anyone that wants to own a dog will have to undergo an online training course to prove that they are able to take care of the animal. This course will be online and once completed the certification will be valid indefinitely.
For the time being little is known about what the course will involve or how dog owners can apply to take it. The regulations governing the course are still being developed.
Once the regulation is finalised, however, anyone who does not successfully pass the course will be unable to take ownership of a dog. Those that already own a dog will have to successfully pass this course within a set period of time or risk incurring a fine
Compulsory steralisation for cats under six months
Sterilization is only mandatory for cats, except for those registered as breeder.
The obligation, as set out by the regulation, is to sterilize the cat before the age of six months. If this is not done, cat-owners could face a fine.
However, this does not mean that cats older than six months should not be steralised. For example, if you find an adult cat abandoned in the street and you want to adopt it, the first thing you must do is to take it to the vet to check its health, vaccinate it, sterilize it and tag it with a microchip.
Liability insurance for dogs
Liability insurance is only mandatory for dogs. A different matter is the law that regulates potentially dangerous animals (including some breeds of dogs and other animals), which also requires insurance and other requirements.
Limited alone time
The new law sets out the maximum period that a pet can be left on its own.
Dogs may not be left alone for more than 24 hours, whereas cats may not be left alone for more than three days. Dogs may not be left alone inside a car.
All animals must be allowed to rest indoors. They cannot be kept in courtyards, gardens, terraces, balconies and the like on a permanent basis.
The law also says that the enclosures in which pets live must “be such as to enable them to develop their basic physiological, ethological and ecological needs adequately”. This would mainly affect animals that are usually kept in closed or semi-closed containers, such as aquariums and terrariums, but also typical pets such as dogs and cats, which must be provided with sufficient and adequate space.
Limited number of pets
Individuals may no longer own more than five pets. Any more than this and a special permit is required.
Registering pets
All pets must now be registered. Anyone that does not registered a pet within 30 days of acquiring it risks a fine. Those that already have a pet should make sure that it is registered within 30 days of the new law coming into force, or risk a fine.
Each Comunidad Autónoma has its own pet registry where the data must be recorded. The new law contemplates a national registry, but this will depend on new legislation being developed.
To register your pets in Barcelona, follow this link. Registration costs €38,
Pet shops
Dogs, cats and ferrets may only be sold from registered breeders – not pet shops.
Pet shops may continue to sell other animals – such as rodents, fish, birds and insects – as well as food and supplies for the animals.
Legal pets
There will be a definitive list of animals that can be kept as pets.
This list has not yet been created. The only animals that will definitely be allowed are dogs, cats and ferrets – although other common household pets are likely to make it on to the list as well. More exotic pets are likely to be disallowed.
In principle the law will not be applied retroactively and those who have animals not included in the list will be able to keep them. They will simply not be able to acquire others from now on.
Deregestration / burial
If your pet dies or you get rid of it, you must notify the city council where the animal is registered within 30 days.
The cancellation of a pet animal due to death must be accompanied by a document certifying that it was cremated or buried by a company officially recognised as being able to carry out such activities. In anticipation of this new law, a number of pet burial services have started springing up in Barcelona.
Huge thanks to DOBLE A Abogacia Animal in preparing this article. They helped drill into the finer details of some of the legislation. DOBLE A is a Malaga-based law firm that was created for the defence of animal rights.
