Since Jan 2022, there is a new regulation in Spain which recognizes animals are no longer (legally speaking) objects but sentient living beings. This new law is NOT the Animal Welfare Law, which is still at its first stages and it won’t be approved till next year.

This new status of the animals affects other Spanish legal facts such as mortgages, divorces and heritages.

What is new in this law? From this moment, companion pets but also livestock are legally protected in case of divorces, decease of the owner or farmer, and embargoes.

For example, if I lose my country house because I stopped paying the mortgage, the bank may no longer take my animals, because they are no longer “a part of the house”. In case of divorces, the family pets, same as the children, will have visiting arrangements that will depend on their circumstances and welfare.

Thanks to this new law, Spain reaches the level of other EU countries in animal protection.

In case of Animal Welfare Law, we remind you once again that nowadays there is nothing definitive about it, since its legal process is still at the first stages. Anyway, just like so many other things in these days, there are some hoaxes about it, and one of them, which has become very popular these last weeks, is the animal DNI. Spanish Veterinary Colleges Association has asked Spanish Ministry about the matter, and the answer has been: NO animal DNI, and, of course, NO €50 to pay for it. Just another hoax.

Of course, microchip will continue being mandatory (this is European, not Spanish regulation) for every dog, which includes from potentially dangerous breeds to “those small dogs which never go out”. No exceptions. If you hear about any kind of exception, there you have another hoax. Remember in this area, apart from microchip, rabies and annual tapeworm treatments are also mandatory (for dogs, cats and ferrets).

Apart from this, Town Halls usually require to register all the dogs which live at the town. Every Town Hall has its own rules, which can normally be found at their websites. Of course, if we move to another town with our dog, we must re-register it. This is important at Costa Blanca, since many urbanizations belong to 2 or more Town Halls.

For any kind of extra info, just ask your Vet.

Clinica Veterinaria, Calle Holanda 9,  MASA Square, Gran Alacant

T: 966 698 569