Dog owner? Find out how the new animal welfare law impacts you

In Catalonia, there are 1,595,831 animals documented in the Pet Identification Registry, and 2022 saw new records for registrations, with 113,383 new additions to the list. Across all of Spain, it's estimated that one in three households have a pet member of the family.  

The new animal welfare law has come into effect as of Friday, September 29, with the aim of giving stronger protection to pets across the country. This will likely mean changes for many owners of dogs, cats, ferrets, or any other companion. 

How will the new animal welfare law affect you?

The new law first aims to fight animal cruelty and abuse, providing much stronger punishments for those who harm animals or neglect them into harm, with heftier fines and increased prison stays in the most serious of cases. 

In the event the animal dies, there can be prison sentences of between 18-24 months, and up to 36 months if more than one animal death occurs. People can also be barred from living or working with animals for 5-10 years.

Minor infractions can carry fines of between €500-€10,000; serious ones will range from €10,001-€50,000; and very serious ones can go up to €200,000. 

If you abandon your pets, you will have to pay a fine of between €10,000 and €50,000. Information about the animals and owners who abandon them will be stored in a registry.

Training course

People who own dogs will have to take a course about general animal care. It will be free and its content will be determined by a future regulation. Until that time comes it will not be mandatory.

Civil Liability Insurance for Dogs 

Similar to the training course, the obligation to take out civil liability insurance for dogs is not coming into force just yet, as many of the details are yet to be ironed out. Eventually, it will be obligatory to take out insurance for every dog that would cover any potential damage to third parties. 

Conditions at home

It will be prohibited to have pets permanently outdoors, on patios or balconies/terraces that are exposed. 

Dogs can't be left alone for more than 24 hours, while for other animals the maximum is set at three days. 

The new measures also call for owners to prevent animals from depositing excrement and urine in areas where other people usually pass, such as facades, doors, or entrances to establishments, and to remove or clean them with biodegradable products.

It will no longer be permitted to leave animals tied outside establishments such as supermarkets.

Microchips

It will be obligatory for cats to have microchips now, as it already is for dogs. It is also required to have your pets documented with regional registries. Animal ID numbers will likely be introduced, but the details haven't been finalized yet. 

Regulation of breeding and sale of pets

Dogs, cats, and ferrets will only be able to be sold by a registered breeder, and not in shops. In order to reduce animal abandonment, stores will not be able to sell dogs, cats, or ferrets, nor display them for commercial reasons.

The direct sale of animals over the Internet will not be allowed to ensure their wellbeing and safety, and avoid illegal trafficking.

It will be mandatory to spay/neuter all pets that live even partially outside the interior of homes, to try to reduce uncontrolled breeding.