Document type : Article published in Liberation
Author : Libération
Preview: Since this Wednesday [5 January 2022], a new law has made these companions "beings in their own right" with their own legal status. This is a mini-revolution for a country that has sometimes shown itself noteworthy for its cruelty to animals.
Animals are no longer "things" or "objects", but "sentient beings". Since Wednesday, the Spanish Act which was passed in December, to make cats, dogs and other pets "beings in their own right", has officially been in force. From now on they will have their own legal status. This small revolution involves changes to three legislative documents, including the Spanish civil code.
Exclusion from inheritance
As a result of the new legislation, pets are now considered genuine family members. [...] From now on, in the event of a divorce between two spouses, the judge will have to take into account the fate of any pet as if it were a child, deciding whether or not to grant joint custody. Similarly, the judge may require one of the spouses to pay for the care and maintenance of the animal, which some critics of the legislation refer to as "animal support". Furthermore, if it is proven that one of the spouses is responsible for any abuse of the animal, then the animal must be removed from the home. It is no longer possible to include a cat, dog or parrot as part of an inheritance in the same way as furniture or other material goods, as was previously the case.
