Animals Considered Living Beings And Not Objects
For animal lovers it has always been a priority issue to try that animals are considered living beings and not objects. For years, this has been a topic of debate, and finally, we have good news! The Congress of Deputies has approved the case. Do you want to know this matter in detail? We will tell you!
Animals considered living beings and not objects, yes or no?
The debate begins: should animals be considered as living beings and not objects? This was the question to be debated on December 18 in the Congress of Deputies. This, in order to decide whether to initiate a legal procedure to grant the animals a different legal status than those objects or material goods.
The Popular Party was responsible for initiating this motion. They assured that the Civil Code, the Mortgage Law and the Civil Procedure Law should be modified with regard to the legal status of animals.
As a defense, it was argued that in neighboring countries belonging to the European Union, such as France and Portugal, animals are considered different from people, yes; but also different from goods, which gives them greater value.
What has been the reform that has been proposed?
The Popular Group defended the need to recognize that the nature of animals is different from other things or goods, so that in cases of lawsuits, they cannot be treated as objects. According to article 333, “all things that are or can be appropriated are considered as movable or immovable property”, which until now included animals.
However, it has been emphasized that animals are living beings with sensitivity, and although, in extraordinary cases, such as divorce, the legal regime of ‘property’ could be applied to them, it should not be a precedent in all cases. cases. The purpose is to recognize them as living beings, which is what they are.
The statement of the reasons for the proposal quoted verbatim as follows:
“Animals thus become subject only partially to the legal regime of goods or things, to the extent that there are no rules specifically designed to regulate legal relationships in which animals may be involved, and provided that said legal regime of the goods is compatible with their nature as a living being endowed with sensitivity and with the set of provisions intended for their protection. What is desirable, de “lege ferenda”, is that this protective regime gradually extends to the different areas in which animals intervene and thereby restricts the supplementary application of the legal regime of things “.
What benefits would this bring to animals?
That animals are considered living beings and not objects provides various benefits. For example, the Mortgage Law will be modified, which prevents mortgages from being extended to animals. For example, those specimens that are on a farm that is dedicated to livestock, industrial or recreational exploitation; as well as pets.
On the other hand, there would also be a modification in the Prosecution Law, and thus prevent animals from being ‘seizable assets’, for which the incredible emotional bond that is created between companion animals and their owners was alluded to. Nor could the income that the animals generate could be seized.
This seems like a big step towards the respect that animals deserve from us. For animal lovers, it has undoubtedly been an achievement that was believed never to be achieved.
Without a doubt, this is a small step towards the betterment of the world. Who knows what the next step will be? For now, many of us are enjoying this victory, so we are happy that animals are considered for what they are: living beings and not objects.
