Latest changes to animal welfare law

The new animal welfare law came into effect on Sept. 29, 2023 , but not all of the law's measures are already in place. This is due to the fact that the Spanish government is currently not yet formed or is still in negotiations for a new government formation. It is not yet known when these measures will take effect. Some of the measures yet to be developed are:

• Liability insurance for all dogs: this insurance will protect dog owners from liability in case of damage caused by their dog. Will separate insurance be required for each animal or can it be combined with an existing home policy that has family coverage, for example.
• A dog keeping course: this course will teach dog owners how to keep their dogs responsibly. In all likelihood, this is going to be organized by the local authorities but these bodies are also waiting for further instructions.
• An identification chip for all pets: this chip will make it easier to identify and recover pets (dogs and cats) if they are lost or stolen.
• There are still issues that are not on point but these are the main ones for now.

Fines

The law provides for economic penalties ranging from 500 to 200,000 euros for people who fail to comply with the aspects of the law that are already in effect. If the violation is minor, the fines are 500 to 10,000 euros; if the violation is serious, the fines are between 10,001 and 50,000 euros; and if the violation is very serious, the fines are between 50,001 and 200,000 euros and the animal will or may be confiscated.