Colombia Constitutional Court bans animal sacrifice due to extreme old age

The Constitutional Court of Colombia has unanimously ruled that extreme old age alone is not a legal justification for the sacrifice of animals not intended for human consumption. In Sentence C-336 of 2026, the court declared the expression ‘extreme old age’ in Article 17 of Law 84 of 1989 unconstitutional.

The court determined that the term lacked objective and scientific criteria, making it an indeterminate concept that could lead to arbitrary decisions. The ruling emphasizes that animals are sentient beings and that advanced age should increase human duties of care, assistance, and solidarity rather than serving as a reason to end their lives.

This decision does not prohibit euthanasia. The court clarified a distinction between sacrifice based solely on age and veterinary procedures intended to end intense suffering caused by incurable diseases, serious injuries, or irreversible physical conditions, which remain permitted under existing law.