Turkey strengthens animal protection. And what about Ukraine?
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On July 7, a Turkish parliamentary commission amended the law on animal protection. Several long-awaited innovations come into force. These include imprisonment for cruelty to animals, mandatory chipping of cats and dogs, and a ban on selling animals in pet stores. Let's consider the key changes and draw parallels with Ukrainian legislation.
An animal is no longer a commodity, but a living being
Previously, the animal was perceived as an object at the legal level. That is, ill-treatment was tantamount to property damage. The only thing that threatened a person for abusing or killing an animal was a small fine. But now that it's a living being, the murder will be punishable by 3 months to 10 years in prison. Fines for animal cruelty were also increased. The most severe punishment is provided for the extermination of endangered animals. The criminal can be imprisoned for up to 10 years. Special attention is paid to pets. For example, for killing, an animal owner can be imprisoned for 4 years.
And what about Ukraine? In our legislation, the animal is still defined as a thing. This allows the owner to dispose of it as if it were property. For example, rent it or exchange it. You can go to jail for 5 years for killing an animal. But for bullying, there's only a fine.
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