Translation of letter from the Office of the Spanish Prime Minister

Pat Getz, of the Greyhound Protection League USA, has kindly sent in this translation of the letter I received from the office of the Spanish Prime Minister.

She says ‘A friend of mine who speaks Spanish and is married to someone who speaks Spanish as his native language was kind enough to do this translation. Kristin is very busy with two small children and many, many activities, but is a great animal lover. I thank her for her efforts.’

I thank Pat for her efforts too, and reprint the translation as sent to me.

Dear Sir or Madam,

In answer your letter that was directed to the President in reference to the maltreatment of Galgos.

I want to thank you for the information that you gave us and that led to your concern. I shared with you that such acts demonstrate a total lack of respect to the animals.

The interest endued to each major protection has been reflected in the legislation of the Autonomous Communities in detail the basic attentions that should receive that animals, the specifications for the company and in particular the dogs abandoned or harmed in training, the functions of the protection associations, the intervention and inspection of the competent offices and the infractions and corresponding sanctions.

Likewise the Law 32/2007 has been approved November 7th for the care of the animals against their exploitation transport and experimenting or sacrifice. This new law regulates the most relevant aspects of the well being of the animals from exploitation, their transport, slaughter as well as experiments within the guidelines of the European Union and International Conventions.

The scope of the application of this law refers these animals with monetary fines, the prohibition of these activities such as maltreatment, abandonment or use of animals in organized fights extends also to the animals of the company. Also, it regards the possibility of adopting provisional measures to prevent those most grave cases where the lives of animals are at risk.

For the other part, you should not forget that the Penal Code in article 337 regards as infractions the most egregious acts with respect to the life or physical integrity of domestic animals such as maltreatment in training or death or causing lesions that produce grave physical derogation. Hence, there does exist a way of denouncing and pursuing the maltreatment of animals as a crime. that there is no impediment to the prosecution of abuse against animals including the Galgos.

To this respect, these acts are penalized with a prison term of three months to a year and special disqualification of one to three years from participating in any manner – official or commercial – that relates to animals, and the abandonment of domestic animals has a penalty of 10 to 30 days.

To prevent these specific situations that all of us find repugnant as for example the case of the Galgos, the government has intensified controls through the Special Protection Service of Wildlife which is a division of the Civil Guard that has in its primary objectives the eradication of these aberrant practices together with the prevention of illegal activities.

The efficacy of the repression of these types of acts will be mobilized with the recent creation of the Superior Tribunals of Justice and the Provincial Audiences of Specialized Sections who will deal with the following crimes from the ordination of the territory, protection of historic and natural resources and environment to the protection of flora and domestic animals and forest fires.

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Letter that can be sent to the Spanish Prime Minister’s office.