TIRANA, August 2/ATA/ For the first time in Albania, animal abuse and abandonment is considered a criminal offense, with penalties of up to 3 years in prison.
The new draft of the Criminal Code, which has been submitted for public consultation, includes a special chapter on the protection of animals, addressing cases of abandonment, violence and inhumane treatment of animals.
According to Article 944, the abandonment of an animal by its owner, in circumstances that endanger its life or health, will be considered a criminal offense and will be punished with a fine or imprisonment of up to 3 years.
Meanwhile, Article 943 provides for penalties for permanent or temporary harm to domestic animals living under human control, including acts of a sexual nature against them. This offense is also punishable by a fine or up to 3 years in prison. If the animal dies as a result of the abuse, the penalty increases by 50%.
For the first time, criminal liability is also established for the lack of control over animals in public spaces. According to Article 945, if an animal (such as a dog) causes physical harm to a person due to the dog not wearing a protective mask or lack of control, the owner may be punished with a fine or up to 6 months in prison. The punishment is increased if the consequences are more serious.
Article 946 prohibits and punishes with a fine or up to 3 months in prison any person who promotes, organizes or directs fights between animals that cause them suffering or torture. For training or giving animals for these purposes, imprisonment of up to 6 months is provided, while bets on the animals are punishable by up to 2 months in prison.
According to Article 947, when criminal offenses against animals are committed with cruelty, savagery, for profit, in the presence of children, with weapons or dangerous means, or if the images are distributed on social networks or media, the punishment is increased by up to 50%.
This draft represents an important step towards protecting animal rights and improving the legal and moral standards of Albanian society in relation to their treatment. /r.e/p.s./
