Italy tightens animal protection laws: tougher penalties for animal cruelty!

Italy tightens animal protection laws: tougher penalties for animal cruelty!

Italy has massively tightened its laws to combat animal cruelty. In a recently passed law in the Rome parliament, the penalties for animal cruelty have now been significantly increased. This reform comes amid acute societal demands for better protections for animals, which are increasingly recognized as sentient beings.

The new measures impose a prison sentence of up to two years for animal cruelty. In the case of intentional cruelty, the prison sentence can even increase to four years. In addition, the fines have been increased significantly: from the previous 10,000 euros to up to 60,000 euros. Those responsible for abandoning or incorrectly keeping animals face fines of between 1,000 and 10,000 euros. Organizers of illegal animal fights face doubled penalties in the future.

The new regulations in detail

A central element of the new law is the drastic punishment for killing pets for no reason. This can result in a prison sentence of up to four years and a fine of up to 60,000 euros. New upper limits also apply to all forms of animal cruelty, which entail stricter measures for the organizers and participants of illegal animal fights.

The initiator of the law, Michela Brambilla, a prominent animal rights activist and MP from the Noi Moderati party, emphasizes that this legislation will no longer treat pets as mere property, but as sentient beings. Despite this progress, animal rights groups and opposition representatives criticize the law, which is seen as a “missed opportunity”. Calls for higher penalties and more comprehensive measures to protect wild and farm animals remain loud.

Criticism and challenges

Despite the stricter penalties, there is criticism of the double standards regarding animal protection in Italy. Around 80 percent of animals are affected by the new regulations, but practices such as castration or genetic manipulation remain permitted. There are also special regulations for historical-cultural events and zoos that could undermine many of the improvements sought in the law.

Senator Julia Unterberger expressed concerns that the law in its current form is inadequate to achieve real improvements in animal welfare. The social debates about ethics and responsibility in dealing with animals therefore continue to be of great importance for Italy and its future legislation.

For more details on the changes in animal protection law, take a look at the reporting from derwesten.de and rnd.de.