The new Animal Welfare law that will soon come into force after excluding hunting dogs, implies a series of significant changes for pet owners. Among them, the obligation to have pet insurance and the performance of a sociability test. However, one of the regulations that has caused the most controversy concerns the time that animals can spend alone at home without human attention.
According to article 24 of the new Animal Welfare Law, dogs and cats cannot be alone at home for more than 24 and 72 hours, respectively. This measure arises from concern for the well-being and health of pets that are left alone for long periods of time. Leaving them without human attention can be stressful for the animals, which can suffer anxiety, depression and even health problems, so it is considered necessary to regulate this issue.
For this reason, the new law establishes that leaving companion animals alone for longer than stipulated may endanger their well-being and health, which has led to the implementation of this regulation and the imposition of fines for minor infractions ranging from between 500 and 10,000 euros.
On the other hand, if dogs or cats are left on terraces, balconies, rooftops, storage rooms, basements, patios and similar or vehicles, the penalty would be from 10,001 to 50,000 euros, as it is considered a serious infraction.
This new paradigm means that pet owners need to make sure their animals get the care they need and aren’t left home alone for too long.
However, it is important to note that the new law makes an exception for sheepdogs, which can exceed the 24-hour limit if they have a GPS tracker and adequate shelter. This is because these dogs often work in the fields and can spend long periods of time away from their owners. Despite this, even in these cases, it is recommended that sheepdogs receive proper care and are not left alone for longer than necessary.
