The current animal protection law is not effective enough in cases of cruelty: often, instead of a criminal process, an administrative one is applied, and the penalties turn out to be excessively lenient, writes Diena.
To change the situation, amendments to the civil law have been proposed, establishing that an animal is not property, but a living being. Additionally, it is recommended to revise the norms regarding the euthanasia of animals, which currently apply to stray animals that end up in shelters.
Currently, the law treats animals as things, which effectively gives the owner absolute power over them. According to statistics, in 80% of cases, violence against animals is committed by their owners.
"The law must keep pace with the times and define that animals are not things, but living, sentient beings that must be treated responsibly. Discussions about the need to enshrine animal protection in civil law have been ongoing for a long time. Previously, society was not ready for such changes, but now that has changed, as evidenced by the public initiative on the 'Mana Balss' platform, which has been signed by more than 35,000 residents of Latvia," said initiative representative Marta Mackevicha at a meeting of the parliamentary commission on mandates, ethics, and proposals.
The Ministry of Justice agrees that there is no legally precise definition of animals in civil law. This is important, for example, in cases of divorce, debt collection, illness, or the death of the owner, when questions arise about the fate of animals left without care and unable to take care of themselves, emphasized the parliamentary secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Lauma Paeglkalna. She added that the issue is complex: one provision in the law will not be enough - a package of norms regulating the rights and obligations of all parties involved is necessary. Among the recommendations is a requirement to specify at the registration of a pet who it will be transferred to in case something happens to the owner.
According to the Ministry of Justice, the development of amendments should be entrusted to the Ministry of Agriculture. The Ministry of Agriculture emphasizes that the approach to the issue should be balanced and constructive.
"This area is very complex and often conflictual due to differences in perceptions of what is right. Therefore, a compromise approach will not be found quickly - detailed discussions will be required. The financial aspect of the issue must also be considered, especially measures to curb uncontrolled breeding of animals," noted parliamentary secretary Normunds Schmits.
The director of the Department of Health, Breeding, and Animal Protection and Food Safety at the Ministry of Agriculture, Antra Brinke, agrees with this position. According to her, there is a long road ahead - at least two to three years - during which serious improvements to regulatory regulation will need to be made.
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