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Italy Starts To Crack Down On Animal Cruelty
July 18, 2003
Italy is finally getting tough on animal cruelty with a new law that promises hefty fines and imprisonment for anyone caught abandoning pets, organizing dog fights or making illegal furs.
Parliament is expected to approve the ground-breaking legislation before the start of the August summer holidays when thousands of dogs are traditionally dumped on the roadside as their owners head off to the beach.
While many other European Union countries provide legal protection for animals, Italy has until now ignored the problem.
"For the first time, animals in Italy are going to be treated as living beings and not damaged goods," said Maurizio Santoloci, vice-president of the WWF in Italy.
Under the terms of the law, which was approved by a parliamentary committee on Thursday, people who abandon pets face up to one year in jail and fines of up to 10,000 euros ($11,210) and 15,000 euros respectively.
Italian animal rights groups estimate that up to 150,000 dogs and cats are deliberately abandoned every year. Activists also believe that hundreds of animals are deliberately injured, tortured or maltreated each month in Italy.
Under the new legislation, anyone found guilty of killing animals unlawfully will face up to 18 months in jail. People who organize dog fights could be jailed between one and three years and fined up to 160,000 euros.
People involved in illegal fur trade involving cat and dog pelts face up to a year behind bars and fines that climb from 5,000 to 100,000 euros.
Source: Reuters
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