Pets & Countries' Animal Protection Laws | World Dog Alliance

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Animais de estimação e as leis de proteção animal de cada país

Austria [Dog / Cat ownership rate: 24 per 100]

Dog Meat Ban: Covered under slaughter laws
Animal Welfare Act 2004, Article 5 prohibits inflicting unjustified pain, suffering, injury, or fear on animals, with exemptions for hunting and fishing
Cruelty to animals, punishable by up to 1 year imprisonment or a fine

Germany [Dog / Cat ownership: 23 per 100]

Dog Meat Ban: Since 1986
German Animal Welfare Act, Article 17 prohibits causing substantial pain, suffering, or injury to animals without reasonable cause
Violations are punishable by up to 3 years imprisonment or a fine

Taiwan [Dog / Cat ownership rate: 21 per 100]

Dog Meat Ban: Since 2017
Animal Protection Act 1998 (amended 2021), Article 10 prohibits maltreatment, abuse, or killing of animals without justification
Violations (e.g., intentional cruelty or killing) carry up to 2 years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to NT$2 million (approx. $62,000 USD)

United Kingdom [Dog / Cat ownership rate: 26 per 100]

Proibição de carne de cachorro: NÃO
A Seção 4 da Lei de Bem-Estar Animal de 2006 (Inglaterra e País de Gales) proíbe causar sofrimento desnecessário aos animais por meio de atos ou omissões.
As violações são puníveis com até 7 anos de prisão e/ou multa ilimitada por crueldade grave, com penas menores (até 51 semanas de prisão ou multa de £ 20.000) por negligência.

Netherlands [Dog / Cat ownership rate: 22 per 100]

Dog Meat Ban: NO
Animal Act 2011, Article 2.1 prohibits acts causing unnecessary suffering or neglect of animals, including farm animals
Violations are covered under the Dutch Penal Code, Article 254, with penalties up to 3 years imprisonment or a fine

France [Dog / Cat ownership rate: 25 per 100]

Proibição de carne de cachorro: NÃO
O Código Penal francês, artigo 521-1, proíbe atos de crueldade contra animais domésticos ou em cativeiro, incluindo o abate sem necessidade.
As violações são puníveis com até 2 anos de prisão e multa de € 30.000.

Noruega [Taxa de posse de cães/gatos: 20 por 100]

Dog Meat Ban: NO
Norwegian Animal Welfare Act 2009, Section 14 prohibits causing unnecessary suffering or neglecting animals’ needs
Violations are punishable under Section 14, with up to 1 year imprisonment, or 3 years for aggravated cruelty

Thailand [Dog / Cat ownership rate: 12 per 100]

Dog Meat Ban: NO
Prevention of Animal Cruelty and Provision of Animal Welfare Act B.E. 2557 (2014) prohibits acts of cruelty or neglect causing suffering
Violations carry up to 2 years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to THB 40,000 (approx. $1,100 USD). Enforcement is reportedly weak

México [Taxa de posse de cães/gatos: 8 por 100]

Dog Meat Ban: NO
No anti-cruelty law at the federal level, but the Federal Criminal Code contains a few provisions regarding animals, where wild animals have more protections than domestic animals

Turkey [Dog / Cat ownership rate: 9 per 100]

Dog Meat Ban: NO
Animal Protection Law No. 5199 (2004, amended 2021), Article 14 prohibits intentional cruelty, neglect, or unjustified killing
Violations are treated as administrative offenses, with fines up to TRY 3,000 (approx. $90 USD). Criminal penalties (up to 1 year jail) apply only for severe cases

China [Dog / Cat ownership rate: 7 per 100]

Dog Meat Ban: Shenzhen and Zhuhai (2020)
Animal Protection Law is being proposed, not yet enacted.
Currently lacks comprehensive animal protection laws, though there are ongoing efforts to introduce legislation

Indonesia [Dog / Cat ownership rate: 3 per 100]

Dog Meat Ban: 21 regions including Jakarta
No comprehensive cruelty law exists, and enforcement is minimal

Rússia [ Taxa de posse de cães/gatos : 5 por 100]

Dog Meat Ban: NO
Russian Penal Code, Article 245 prohibits cruelty causing injury or death to animals with malicious, sadistic, or mercenary motives
up to 3 years imprisonment or fines of RUB 80,000–300,000 (approx. $800–$3,000 USD). Enforcement is weak

Índia [ Taxa de posse de cães/gatos : 4 por 100]

Dog Meat Ban: NO
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, Section 11 prohibits causing unnecessary pain or suffering to animals
violations carry fines up to INR 50 (approx. $0.60 USD) for first offenses, or up to 3 months imprisonment and/or INR 100 for repeat offenses. Penalties are widely criticized as inadequate.

Vietnã [ Taxa de posse de cães/gatos : 6 por 100]

Proibição do consumo de carne de cachorro: NÃO (consumo aproximado de 5 milhões de cães por ano)
Não existe uma lei abrangente sobre bem-estar animal, sendo que a Lei de Criação de Animais aborda o tratamento de animais de criação e proíbe atos de crueldade.

United States [Dog / Cat ownership rate: 25 per 100]

Dog Meat Ban: Since 2018
Federal animal welfare act provides minimum standards of care and treatment for animals. No federal cruelty statute exists, with cruelty primarily addressed by state laws
Each of the 50 states has a felony animal cruelty law to determine what constitutes cruelty and the penalties for committing cruelty, but levels vary

Canada [Dog / Cat ownership rate: 23 per 100]

Dog Meat Ban: NO
Criminal Code of Canada, Section 445.1 prohibits willfully causing unnecessary pain, suffering, or injury to animals
Violations carry up to 5 years imprisonment (indictable offense) or 6 months jail and/or $10,000 fine

Italy [Dog / Cat ownership rate: 18 per 100]

Dog Meat Ban: NO
Italian Penal Code, Article 544-bis prohibits unjustified killing or cruelty to animals
Violations carry 1–2 years imprisonment

South Korea [Dog / Cat ownership rate: 15 per 100]

Dog Meat Ban: From 2027
Animal Protection Act 1991 (amended 2023), Article 8 prohibits killing or injuring animals without justification
Article 8 violations carry up to 3 years imprisonment or a fine of up to KRW 30 million (approx. $22,000 USD)

Japan [Dog / Cat ownership rate: 16 per 100]

Dog Meat Ban: NO
Act on Welfare and Management of Animals 1973 (amended 2019), Article 44 prohibits cruelty or unjustified killing of protected animals
Violations carry up to 1 year imprisonment or a fine of up to ¥1 million (approx. $6,700 USD)

Singapura [ Taxa de posse de cães/gatos : 14 por 100]

Dog Meat Ban: NO
Animals and Birds Act (2014) prohibits acts of cruelty to animals, including torture, abuse, and neglect. It also regulates animal ownership and trade
Violators can face fines and imprisonment for up to 18 months

Austrália [ Taxa de posse de cães/gatos : 23 por 100]

Proibição de carne de cachorro: NÃO
Na Austrália, existe pouca legislação nacional sobre bem-estar animal; a maioria das regulamentações sobre o tema está em vigor nos níveis estadual e territorial.
Em Nova Gales do Sul, a crueldade grave contra animais é considerada crime nos termos da Lei de Prevenção da Crueldade contra os Animais (NSW: Seção 530), que prevê pena máxima de 5 anos de prisão.

Hong Kong [Dog / Cat ownership rate: 13 per 100]

Dog Meat Ban: Since 1950
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance, Cap. 169, prohibits abuse, neglect, inappropriate transport and fighting of any animal
Maximum fine is HK$200,000 and carries a maximum imprisonment of three years

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