Mexico and Chile advance stricter animal‑cruelty legislation

In Puebla, Mexico, activists led by Catalina Aguilar presented the "Ley Huesitos" to the state congress. The bill would create a state registry of individuals convicted of animal abuse and impose penalties on municipalities that fail to act on cruelty complaints, aiming to prevent repeat offenses and strengthen municipal responsibility.

In Chile, deputy César Valenzuela introduced the "Ley Balto" to amend the criminal code, raising minimum prison terms for animal cruelty to at least 543 days and adding bans on animal ownership for convicted offenders. The proposal is named after a dog that suffered a brutal attack and seeks to close gaps that previously allowed perpetrators to evade effective punishment.