The new law that elevates animals from the status of ‘thing’ was published this Friday in Diário da República.
The new legal status of animals, which recognises them as living things endowed with sensitivity and able to interact with humans and their surroundings, enters into force on May 1st, 2017.
The legislative amendment to the Civil Code, under which to animals were just ‘things,’ came after pressure from Socialist, Social Democrat, People-Animals-Nature, and Left Bloc MPs, leading to unanimous approval in parliament last December.
The new legislation recognises animals as "sensitive living beings and objects of legal protection," under the amended Civil Code.
As regards pet animals, the law states that they must be looked after by the whole family and if anyone attacks or kills an animal, they are obliged to compensate the owner, or anyone involved in the animal’s rescue, for the expenses that were incurred for the animal’s treatment.
Compensation is payable even if "the cost is more than the monetary value that can be attributed to the animal."
The owner of an animal must ensure its welfare and "respect the characteristics of each species," reads the new law.
As animals soon will have a legal status, this means those convicted of mistreatment could go to prison for up to three years. Also, there will be fines for those stealing and selling animals and for anyone selling an animal that has been stolen.
