Animal abuse is, at the same time, a factor that predisposes to social violence and, at the same time, a consequence of it. It is part of the cascade of violence that is reaching us all as individuals and as a society.
On September 17th, with 87 affirmative votes, the National Assembly approved the classification of animal abuse and zoophilia as crimes between the reforms to the Ecuadorian Criminal Code. These changes were part of the reforms that were voted a group of penal reforms during the session. To date, animal abuse was considered a simple contravention and was sanctioned only with community service.
In the case of dogfighting, the penalty was imprisonment of up to 30 days. With the new regulations, animal abuse may be punished with imprisonment of between six months to one year. If the death of the animal is caused, the penalty increases from one to three years in prison. Zoophilia is also sanctioned with imprisonment from six months to a year that can increase up to three years if the animal dies.
Below the summary, of the penalties under the new changes in the Ecuadorian criminal code.
