Candidates are asked to create a registry for animal abusers similar to that for rapists
The Animalist Platform group presents 14 ideas and seeks to “obtain a commitment from all political parties.”
In light of the electoral campaign, the Animalist Platform (PA) group, made up of some 40 organizations that advocate for animal rights, presented this Tuesday a series of public policy proposals related to animal welfare as part of a 2025-2030 agenda on this matter.
This agenda will be presented to the presidential candidates, their technical teams and various sectors in the coming days, according to PA. Its objective is “to obtain a commitment from all political parties to improve the lives of animals” in Uruguay.
“It is essential to take advantage of this electoral campaign period to bring animal rights proposals to the attention of the presidential candidates. Establishing a dialogue with the candidates’ technical teams is key to ensuring that these proposals are effectively incorporated into their government plans,” the organizations explain in the document, which considers that “Uruguay has a huge debt in relation to this type of policies” and that what has been done so far “has been totally inefficient.”
Among the 14 ideas put forward are streamlining and improving the process of reporting animal abuse, compliance with the Animal Welfare Law (18,471), the specific classification of the crime of animal abuse and abandonment (for which a bill was presented to Parliament in 2022), state support for private shelters, protectors, rescuers and civil associations, the prohibition of horse riding and horse raids, among others.
Within the point referring to the classification of the crime of abuse, the text speaks of the “creation of a database of people with negative records regarding responsible animal ownership, with free access to said information by duly registered adopters.”
Animalist Platform representative Patricia Durán said that, although “that point is not in the bill,” it is something that is currently “done informally.”
“Among the people we rescue, we have what is called a black list and we pass the data around,” he explained, adding: “What we are looking for with this point is to have a serious protocol, based on the person’s criminal record.”
This registry would be similar to the one established by the Urgent Consideration Law in 2020 (Law 19,889) which establishes the National Registry of Rapists and Sexual Abusers within the orbit of the Ministry of the Interior.
PA’s animal rights agenda also refers to the situation of canine and feline overpopulation that remains uncontrolled. In addition, they highlight the request to implement a public health system for animals as an innovative proposal.
“It is not about creating a veterinary hospital, but rather establishing an emergency care service throughout the country that will allow for the continuation of necessary treatments in private veterinary clinics by promoting an agreement with the State,” PA explains.
