- Title: Madrid annual canine walk doggedly pursues tougher animal cruelty sentences
- Date: 30th December 2019
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) HEAD OF EL REFUGIO DOG AND CAT RESCUE CHARITY, NACHO PAUNERO, SAYING: "Hundreds of dogs and people are enjoying (today) with a common cause: that cruelty towards animals is punished with greater prison sentences in Spain because at this point punishments are light." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DOG WALK PARTICIPANT, BELEN, SAYING: "They (dogs) are not toys, they are beings that feel and love us and everyone must be made aware that they are part of the family." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DOG WALK PARTICIPANT, ALMUDENA, SAYING: "I would not be able to abandon this (points at her dog) because they give you unconditional love that no person gives you. None at all." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DOG WALK PARTICIPANT, MAR, SAYING: "(I am here) to fight against animal cruelty and to try to get the law, little by little, to become harsher so they (animals) are more protected." DOGS BEING WALKED PAST FOUNTAIN DOG WALK IN PROGRESS DOG WALK AND PARLIAMENT IN THE BACKGROUND DOGS AND THEIR OWNERS SITTING IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT WITH A BANNER READING (Spanish): "#ITCANNOTBE" VARIOUS OF DOG WALK IN PROGRESS VARIOUS OF DOGS AND THEIR OWNERS CROSSING FINISH LINE VARIOUS OF DOGS WITH THEIR OWNERS DOG OWNERS AND DOGS GATHERED
- Embargoed: 13th January 2020 14:04
- Keywords: animal cruelty dog walk dogs prison
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- City: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Human Interest / Brights / Odd News,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA003BC62OUX
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Dozens of excited dogs wearing festive costumes took to the streets of Madrid with their humans on Monday (December 30) in the annual "Sanperrestre" dog walk to demand tougher prison sentences for perpetrators of animal cruelty crimes.
With a jazz band providing entertainment, they took off from the starting line in central Madrid and headed to parliament where the head of El Refugio, a charity for the protection of dogs and cats, called on lawmakers to toughen up laws on animal cruelty.
The charity is calling on the law to be changed to increase prison sentences to two years and one day. Currently the maximum punishment for animal cruelty crimes is an 18 month prison sentence which allows perpetrators to avoid serving their jail terms. In Spain, prison sentences of up two years do not have to be served.
In the past El Refugio has also used the race to demand that dogs have access to public spaces such as beaches and parks and also that they be allowed to ride on public transport.
(Production: Guillermo Martinez, Catherine Macdonald) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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