Cuba Passes Animal Welfare Decree Law

Cuba has just adopted its Animal Welfare Decree Law which gathers the work carried out in the country during years in the benefit of animals.

The law regulates principles, duties, rules related to the care, health and treatment of animals in order to guarantee their wellbeing meaning their physical and mental conditions in tune with the conditions under which they live and die.

The legislative document also establishes the responsibilities of state agencies and other entities linked to the welfare of the animals and the principles controlling such activity. The legislation also establishes the individual duties of those who own animals having the obligation to meet their basic needs.

The director of Animal Health Yobani Gutierrez said that the publication of the decree law responds to numerous opinions expressed during the consultation process prior to the approval of the Cuban constitution about the need of a legislation protecting the welfare of the animals.

Now that the legislation has been passed, the next step is its implementation which requires the preparation of the people, authorities in charge of enforcing what has been approved, animal owners and different entities.