On June 11th, President Luis Guillermo Solís will sign the Animal Welfare Law, something for which the Judiciary is not prepared, as said by the president of the Supreme Court of Justice, Carlos Chinchilla.
The magistrate said that they need 4.5 billion colones to have the right equipment and to deal with the investigations, as well as for the transfer of dead animals and so on.
While the magistrate spoke on the subject, the president pointed out these requirements, listening to some of the explanations, such as that they cannot use the same vehicles used to transport dead people, nor the same laboratory.
That money cannot be taken from their regular budget, so an alternative is to put an extraordinary budget, an aspect to negotiate with the Executive.
The law against animal abuse contemplates the following penalties:
– From three months to one year of prison for those who, directly or indirectly, commit an act of cruelty against animals.
– This penalty includes cases of persistent weakening in an animal’s health, loss of a sense, an organ, a limb, suffering, intense pain or prolonged agony.
– Sexual relations with animals.
-Practice vivisection for purposes other than research.
– Up to two years of prison for those who, directly or indirectly, cause the death of an animal (except animals for personal or family consumption.)