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Spain’s new Animal Welfare Law has been published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and the countdown to its entry into force on 29 September now begins. In the meantime, all guardians of dogs, cats, and other pets should inform themselves about the new legislation and make the necessary changes so as not to breach it when the time comes.
One of the rules brought about by this new legislation is the compulsory sterilisation of cats living in the home. It was already announced a year ago that the new law would lead to greater sterilisation in general, but in the case of cats, it has been accentuated.
This measure is driven by the data on pet abandonment in Spain that the Affinity Foundation prepares and presents each year. The latest report detailed that unwanted litters were the main reason for abandonment in our country in 2021 and the second in 2020.
This figure is related to litters of cats that are produced in an uncontrolled manner due to the lack of sterilisation and the freedom that many owners offer their animals to leave the home, despite how dangerous it can be for cats to wander around outdoors, as reported by 20minutos.es.