A partir del próximo 29 de septiembre, entra en vigor la Ley de Bienestar Animal que establece la obligatoriedad de contratar un seguro de responsabilidad civil para los propietarios de perros. Esta ley busca garantizar la protección de terceros frente a posibles daños causados por mascotas. Algunos dueños ya cuentan con este seguro, mientras que otros deberán ponerse al día para cumplir con la nueva legislación.
La importancia de tener un seguro de responsabilidad civil para los dueños de perros se hace evidente cuando ocurren incidentes. Helena, propietaria de un border collie, relata cómo su perro asustó a un niño y estuvo a punto de causar un accidente al acercarse a la carretera. A raíz de esta experiencia, Helena tomó conciencia de la necesidad de tener un seguro que cubra posibles imprevistos.
La responsabilidad de los dueños de perros y el cumplimiento de la normativa también son aspectos relevantes. Raquel, propietaria de un pastor belga y un labrador, destaca que siempre ha paseado a sus mascotas con correa y evita lugares con otros animales. Sin embargo, denuncia casos en los que cachorros han sido mordidos en el parque por perros sueltos.
Es importante mencionar que los perros de caza quedan excluidos de la obligatoriedad del seguro de responsabilidad civil. Los cazadores lograron esta excepción tras presionar a principios de año. Para estos perros, existe una normativa específica regulada por las leyes europeas, estatales y autonómicas.
Además del seguro, la ley establece otras obligaciones para los propietarios de perros. Entre ellas, se encuentra la acreditación de la realización de un curso de formación, que será gratuito y de validez indefinida. También se prohibirá mantener a los perros de forma permanente en lugares como terrazas, balcones, vehículos, entre otros. Las multas por incumplir estas prohibiciones pueden oscilar entre 500 y 10,000 euros.
Fuentes:
– Ley de Bienestar Animal
– Entrevistas a propietarios de perros
Definitions:
– Ley de Bienestar Animal: Legislation that establishes regulations for the welfare and protection of animals.
– Seguro de responsabilidad civil: Civil liability insurance that covers potential damages caused by pets.
– Perros de caza: Hunting dogs used in hunting activities.
Translation:
Next September 29, the Animal Welfare Law comes into effect, which makes it mandatory to take out civil liability insurance for dog owners. Some owners already have it, while others must catch up to comply with the new legislation. “I’m not very knowledgeable about the subject, but I’ll have to do it, since any pet can cause damage to others,” says Raquel, a resident of Salamanca and owner of a Belgian shepherd and a Labrador.
Helena, owner of a Border Collie, anticipated the implementation of the Animal Welfare Law after experiencing an incident with her dog: “A few months ago, we were on a terrace and a 3-year-old child got scared when he saw him and ran away. My pet tried to follow him to play while the child was getting closer to the road. Fortunately, nothing happened, but we realized that he could cause an unforeseen event at any moment and, therefore, how necessary it is to have civil liability insurance.”
Raquel refers to the owners’ responsibility and the importance of complying with the legislation that prohibits letting dogs roam freely. “I have never had a problem with my pets because I have always walked them on a leash. I also don’t go to places where there are many other animals, but some friends of mine have young puppies who have been bitten twice by other dogs in the park,” she denounces.
The civil liability insurance is not mandatory for hunting dogs, as they are excluded from the scope of the Animal Welfare Law due to pressure from hunters across the country earlier this year. Instead, they are regulated and protected by “the corresponding current European, state, and regional regulations,” as stated in the said legislation in its Preliminary Title.
Despite the exclusion, many owners of hunting dogs have civil liability insurance or have them included in their home insurance to avoid future headaches. “They roam freely in the countryside, and for example, there is the possibility that they may go out onto a nearby road and cause a traffic accident,” says the owner of several tracking dogs.
Other obligations that dog owners must comply with
In addition to “taking out and maintaining in force civil liability insurance for damages to third parties, which includes coverage for the persons responsible for the animal, for an amount sufficient to cover possible expenses,” the law that will begin to be enforced on September 29 includes other obligations that dog owners must comply with.
People who wish to own dogs must also demonstrate the completion of a training course. It will be free of charge and its validity will be indefinite, while its content will be determined by regulations, but everything indicates that it will revolve around the basic characteristics that any future owner must know in order to take care of their pet in the best possible way.
As for prohibitions, as of September 29, it will not be allowed to “permanently keep dogs on terraces, balconies, rooftops, storage rooms, basements, yards, and similar places or vehicles”. Nor can dogs be tied to lampposts, fences, or rubbish bins “without the direct supervision of the person responsible for their care and behavior”. The fines for this second offense, which is considered minor, range from 500 to 10,000 euros.
Sources:
– Animal Welfare Law
– Interviews with dog owners
