Animal welfare legislative reforms in Mexico

Legislative and municipal efforts to improve animal welfare are advancing in various Mexican regions.

In Mexicali, the municipal council approved reforms to animal control regulations. Developed with the non-profit Gente por los Animales, the update reclassifies animals as “sentient beings” and shifts the focus toward preventive measures. The reform includes renaming the Municipal Animal Control Center to the Municipal Animal Welfare Center, mandating biannual sterilization campaigns, and extending the period for claiming captured animals from 72 hours to five days.

At the state level, legislators in San Luis Potosí and Querétaro are pursuing similar protections. In San Luis Potosí, a proposal seeks to mandate the creation of Animal Recovery Centers and shelters across all municipalities to address budget and authority gaps regarding vaccination and rehabilitation. In Querétaro, an initiative was passed to declare July 21 as Dog Welfare Day to promote responsible pet ownership and adoption, noting that an estimated 70% of Mexico’s approximately 41.2 million dogs live in street or abandoned conditions.