President Gustavo Petro has officially adopted new animal protection laws in Colombia titled the ‘Angel’ and ‘Lorenzo’ bills. These laws are designed to expand the protections of both wild and domestic animals in the country.
Both projects were promoted by Senator Andrea Padilla Villagra and were backed by Rep. Juan Carlos Wills Ospina, Senator Ariel Avila Martinez, Rep. Daniel Carvalho Mehjia, and Senator Ana Maria Castañeda Gomez.
Colombia’s new animal protection laws
In the law’s announcement, President Petro said, “Nature must be respected, otherwise we die. And therefore, this lesson of love gives us a huge responsibility: to ensure that nature is preserved on planet Earth, because if not, the human species will become extinct.”
With the ‘Angel law’, perpetrators of crimes against animals could go to jail. The bill was named after Angel, a dog that was the victim of an extreme case of animal cruelty, as his body was 80% mutilated, and despite efforts by rescuers, he died last February in Saboya, Boyaca department.
In an interview with Colombian state channels, Vivian Nieto, one of Angel’s rescuers, commented on the newly introduced animal protection law in Colombia. She told interviewers, “I came from Chiquinquirá, and this law was thanks to a little dog that was one of the most severe abuse cases in Colombia and managed to survive for over 3 years. I thank the president for enacting the law.”
Nieto, an animalist, protected and nurtured the dog after the extreme cruelty case for the Mi Mejor Amigo foundation, an organization that specializes in taking care of animals.
What does the ‘Angel Law’ actually prohibit?
Through the new law, individuals who kill an animal without justification or sexually abuse it could face up to 4 years in jail. Fines will also increase: they will go from 5 to a range between 15 and 30 minimum wages (US$4,964 to US$9,929 approximately) in cases of serious injury, and from 30 to 60 (US$19,860) in cases of death.
Additionally, accessory penalties will be established, such as the prohibition of having animals for up to twice the length of the sentence, disqualification from practicing professions or trades related to animals, and the creation of a national registry of convicted individuals, managed by the Prosecutor’s Office and the Police.
The ‘Lorenzo Law’
The Lorenzo law, which was also named after an abused dog in Bogota, will promote technology that can replace watchdogs used for security purposes in the city, whilst guaranteeing good conditions for the dogs already in service. Dogs are still commonly used for private security purposes in cities around the country.
This bill was first proposed in 2023, after the public filed many complaints of abuse against watchdogs. Lorenzo’s case was not as extreme as ‘Angel’s’, as this dog was used at the exclusive Bogota mall, Andino, and was abused.
This law will also shorten the maximum age a dog can be in service, from 8 to 6 years old. It will also require these dogs to be sterilized by 6 months old, as well as adopting plans for the dogs’ retirements.