New legislation on hunting dogs a step back for animal rights say vets

A petition demanding a new animal protection law that will not exclude hunting dogs from protection has got more than 200,000 signatures and support from more than 600 vets.

The National Platform for the Protection of Animals which is made up of more than 165 animal rights associations, announced its backing for the petition. The petition demands change to the current animal rights law proposed by the PSOE which excludes hunting dogs from animal rights protection.

The new law would introduce distinctions between the rights dogs are entitled to depending on if they are a pet or a hunting dog. Current laws give all dogs the same rights.

Animal rights organisations are launching their ‘same dogs, same law’ campaign to demand expanding of the criteria for protections. María González dismissed the PSOE legislation calling it a “setback for animal rights which plays into the hands of abusive hunters”. She said all dogs should be entitled to the same rights protections.

Animal rights organisations will protest the legislation over the next week with a protest scheduled for the 24^th of September at 1:30pm outside the Congress building in Madrid.