A groundbreaking new proposal could mean change for animals in the Political Constitution of Nuevo León. Representatives of Animal Equality joined together last week with Deputy Iraís Virginia Reyes de la Torre, along with 10 other legislators from the Citizen Movement Party in promoting a bill urging for the recognition of animal sentience. The proposal is also supported by the United Collective for Animal Welfare.
What This Proposal Could Mean For Animals
If this proposal is approved, Nuevo León will become one of the most progressive entities in the country in terms of animal protection. The new Constitution will recognise animals as sentient beings and, therefore, they must be treated with dignity, guaranteeing their wellbeing. In the State of Nuevo León, every person will have an ethical duty and legal obligation to respect the life and integrity of animals; these, by their nature, will be subjects of moral consideration. Their guardianship will be a common responsibility. The guardianship and protection of animals will be the shared responsibility of the State and its citizens, including the proper care of abandoned animals. The authorities of the State and the Municipalities, within their respective powers, must guarantee at all times the protection, wellbeing and dignified and respectful treatment of the animals that live or transit in the State and must promote a culture of care and responsible guardianship of the same.
For this new initiative to be passed, it must first be ruled together with the others that seek to reform the Constitution. In the specific case that there is an announced process to create a new Constitution, it should be analysed that this proposal can be included in the new constitutional text.
An important tool for the protection of all animal species
While the Animal Protection and Welfare Law for the Sustainability of the State of Nuevo León already establishes that animals are sentient beings, the Political Constitution has a higher hierarchical rank, which means that it gives broader protection. For example: All local authorities must take into consideration this mandate and the condition of animals as sentient beings in their actions: when creating, executing or modifying laws, creating social programs, as well as when receiving and resolving complaints, to name a few.
The amendment establishes the duty to respect the life and physical and mental integrity of animals to all people who are in the territory of the entity, permanently or passing through.
The Constitution will require a guardianship of common responsibility, which means that any person has the power to protect animals and the duty to respect them.
Dulce Ramirez, Executive Director for Animal Equality states, “We cannot deny that animals feel and that it is time to recognise it in state Constitutions. We have the duty and responsibility to protect animals, respect their lives and interests. We will continue promoting initiatives like this one, which allow us to live in a more respectful world free of violence towards animals”.
This bill, once passed, will be an important tool for the protection of all animal species in the entity, where more than 42 million of them are raised and killed for human consumption. Ten years after the Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness, scientific evidence can affirm that animals feel and can experience various emotional states, such as pain, stress and anguish. It is our obligation not to harm them and guarantee their well-being. Recognising sentience in constitutions is a first step towards this.
Want to help pass this new initiative?
Take a moment to sign the Laws for Animals petition to help ensure that all animals are constitutionally protected in Nuevo León!
