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The draft Animal Protection Law has been given the green light in Spain and is expected to enter force later this year, with one of the more controversial measures being the modification of the 1999 law classifying dangerous dog breeds. Under the new legislation, the list will essentially be scrapped and animals will only be considered as potentially dangerous “after carrying out an individualised sociability study.”

 

The owners of dogs who fail the test will in future have to obtain a special licence to keep their pet and follow the corresponding regulations, which include keeping them on a short leash and using a muzzle. Furthermore, in order to obtain this licence, owners must be of legal age and able to show they can adequately care for the animal and they must take out civil liability insurance.

 

See also: Dog training course will be short, free and simple

 

Finally, owners of potentially dangerous dog breeds must not have “been convicted of crimes of homicide, injury, torture, against freedom or against moral integrity, sexual freedom and public health”, or have any known association with an armed gang or drug trafficking operation.

 

Article 35 of the new Animal Protection Law requires that all dog owners undertake a mandatory training course, but from now on the dangerousness of an animal will not depend on its particular breed or physical power; rather, it will be judged based on the dog’s behaviour and socialisation, meaning that very soon, Spain may well find potentially dangerous poodles and labradors.

 

The owners of hunting, herding and livestock guard dogs are exempt from the general mandatory training course, while the draft establishes that these dogs will be classified as “special handling dogs outside the specific activity.”

 

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Image: Peta