Buenos Aires deputy proposes arrest for pet abuse

Manuel Passaglia, a deputy from the Buenos Aires province, has introduced the ‘Buen Trato Animal’ (Good Treatment of Animals) bill in the provincial Legislature. The proposal seeks to amend the provincial Code of Misdemeanors to include a specific chapter dedicated to companion animals, addressing current legal gaps regarding negligence and abuse.

The bill targets behaviors such as failing to provide basic care, maintaining animals in inadequate conditions, leaving pets in unventilated vehicles, and deliberate abandonment. If passed, the legislation would establish a tiered system of sanctions, including fines and arrest periods of up to 60 days for the most severe cases.

Additional measures proposed include the creation of an Offender Registry for animal mistreatment within the provincial registry and the potential prohibition of pet ownership or contact for certain violators. The project also allows authorities to perform preventive removals of animals from environments that pose a manifest risk to their health or physical integrity.