A horse used to pull a cart, in which merchandise, garbage, tree branches and even scrap metal is transported, was left hanging by the neck for several minutes in the traffic light area of La Villa, in Masaya, after its owner – still of unknown identity—used it to carry a load that even exceeded the weight of the animal.
The cart, according to the video shared on social networks, was loaded with dozens of blocks and cement, in addition, there were two people on the cart who were directing the horse.
The animal, although it managed to move the load of construction materials and the two subjects for a few meters, finally its weight – which exceeded it – ended up lifting it and leaving it hanging.
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The owner of the animal and his companion tried for several minutes to free the horse or lower it to prevent it from hanging, but they were unable to do so and required at least five more men to help them.
In Nicaragua, in terms of animal protection, there is only Law 747, Law for the protection and well-being of domestic animals and domesticated wild animals, approved since 2011, and establishes as animal abuse “any conscious act, act or omission.” or unconscious carried out by the owner, owner or possessor of an animal, which may cause pain, suffering, endanger the life of the animal or seriously affect its health due to the overexploitation of its work.
The crime of animal abuse, with Law 747, for now only establishes sanctions of fines or social work. The Penal Code of Nicaragua establishes that whoever commits said crime will be “punished with a fine of fifty to two hundred days or work for the benefit of the community from ten to twenty days for a period of no less than two hours a day.”
The most recent case of punishment for animal abuse occurred last week, when citizen Darwin de Jesús Rizo Castillo, originally from Estelí, was arrested and later charged with the crimes of “physical damage or mistreatment of animals” for murdering his horse. with a firearm, on a street in the 20 de Mayo neighborhood, in Jinotega.
In the country it is quite common for some people to use horses for the work of “hauling” construction materials, garbage or scrap metal. Generally the animals are under the harsh sun and their owners are unable to provide them with water and grass on time. As in this case, their owners overload them and when the horses slow down due to fatigue, the people who exploit them physically abuse them with whips and whips, without any authority taking on the task of applying the law.
