Animal welfare was Welcome to new member linda

[Guest guest]

Hi - I've a query and a comment (wouldn't ya know!) about this new legislation

in Portugal.

 

Interesting legislation - and although you don't give a complete list of

animals, I presume it would mean all those normally found in zoos, safari parks

and circuses? As for pet shops, some do indeed sell exotic birds and fish (are

those included?), ferrets, snakes, various kinds of lizards as well as the more

usual domestic companion animals such as dogs, cats and bunnies. (I am assuming

for now that dogs, cats and bunnies are NOT on the list.)

 

My query is in regard to the hypothetical case of someone who had, say, a parrot

or snake, duly registered, and then this guardian's subsequent illness, change

of residence or even old age meant that the animal would have to be re-homed. Do

you know whether someone else (perhaps a rescue organization) would be permitted

to rescue such an animal (not buy - simply adopt/rescue) or would the animal

have to be euthanized?

 

My comment is that I doubt very much if so-called farm animals (for consumption

of their flesh or their products) are on the list. What a pity. Now THAT would

be revolutionary legislation!

 

As for zoos . . . . well that's a fraught topic.

 

Best,

Pat

 

, " Piers " <piersalgarve wrote:

> . . . I just read in this week's Portugal News of new legislation coming into

effect here immediately, which forbids ownership of a long list of animals

except by certain authorized users e.g. zoos and other official centres, NOT

circuses and NOT pet shops. So this looks like the end of parades of lions,

tigers, elephants, monkeys and all the rest by circuses, as well as private

ownership of various animals as pets. The reasons given are environmental

protection, public safety, animal welfare and conservation, not in any special

order. Those in possession of these animals don't have to give them up straight

away (what would the state do with them?) but have to register them and are

prohibited from buying new ones or allowing them to reproduce.

.. . .

I'm not really sure about zoos, but I guess they have an important function as

a walking (swimming, flying, crawling etc.) library of the animal kingdom (or is

it a republic?) and as such can contribute to our education and so to a better

understanding of our relationship with the animals.

[Guest guest]

Well I don't know about a complete list of animals - I hastened to the recycling

stack to recover the newspaper with the article in it, which is not a definitive

source but I'm doubtful my Portuguese would get me through any more original

text. It mentions the law as being applicable to " all species of primates,

bears, felines (with the exception of domestic cats), seals and sea lions,

hippopotamuses, penguins, crocodiles, all types of ostrich, certain species of

turtles, centipedes and scorpions. " Elsewhere is mentioned that the prohibited

category includes monkeys, elephants, lions and tigers, though I don't see

anything on the first list that could refer to elephants. Then again, neither

list makes a claim to completeness.

 

With regard to your question, it's clear that the legislators are determined to

ensure the survival of existing animals in these categories, which is why they

didn't impose an immediate, complete ban as that would raise the question of how

to dispose of existing animals, the welfare of whom (which?) is part of the aim

of the new law. So the cases that were worrying you are, I'm sure, foreseen and

the legislation will have the interests of the animals at heart, but the article

doesn't go into detail about that.

 

As for the farm animals, well yes. But I think the new law is a step in a good

direction and the fact that it received such warm public acclaim is gratifying.

 

Piers

 

--- On Wed, 21/10/09, Pat / 'River' <drpatsant wrote:

 

> Pat / 'River' <drpatsant

> Animal welfare was Re: Welcome to new member linda

>

> Wednesday, 21 October, 2009, 16:54

>

> Hi - I've a query and a comment (wouldn't ya know!) about

> this new legislation in Portugal.

>

> Interesting legislation - and although you don't give a

> complete list of animals, I presume it would mean all those

> normally found in zoos, safari parks and circuses? As for

> pet shops, some do indeed sell exotic birds and fish (are

> those included?), ferrets, snakes, various kinds of lizards

> as well as the more usual domestic companion animals such as

> dogs, cats and bunnies. (I am assuming for now that dogs,

> cats and bunnies are NOT on the list.)

>

> My query is in regard to the hypothetical case of someone

> who had, say, a parrot or snake, duly registered, and then

> this guardian's subsequent illness, change of residence or

> even old age meant that the animal would have to be

> re-homed. Do you know whether someone else (perhaps a rescue

> organization) would be permitted to rescue such an animal

> (not buy - simply adopt/rescue) or would the animal have to

> be euthanized?

>

> My comment is that I doubt very much if so-called farm

> animals (for consumption of their flesh or their products)

> are on the list. What a pity. Now THAT would be

> revolutionary legislation!

>

> As for zoos . . . . well that's a fraught topic.

>

> Best,

> Pat