A new animal welfare law in Spain bans pet stores and using animals for recreational activities that cause them harm or suffering but bullfighting and hunting with dogs remain legal.
The legislation is intended to punish animal cruelty, as the mistreatment of domestic animals can come with a fine of up to €200,000 ($212,000), according to the Associated Press. Circuses will no longer be able to use wild animals and zoos will only be able to keep the marine mammals in their dolphin shows until they die.
People aiming to be pet owners can also no longer buy pets online or in stores, as Spaniards will only be able to purchase pets from registered breeders. However, there will be a grace period for stores to find homes for animals.
Two major exceptions to the law include bullfighting, which has been a part of Spanish culture for over a millennium, and hunting with dogs. In an early proposal, hunting with dogs would have been banned but it was removed after an angry response, mostly from rural communities.
According to government statistics, it is estimated that Spain has around 29 million pets, mostly dogs. Approximately 300,000 animals are abandoned each year and a third of those animals end up being put down.
