Activist Yenney Caballero reported on Wednesday a new case of animal cruelty in Cuba, where a young man tortured a cat and posted pictures of it on social media. This incident prompted the animal protection organization to urge the government to implement stricter measures to prevent similar situations, such as imposing fines of up to 100,000 pesos.
Caballero pointed out on Facebook that this new incident highlights the need for the government to amend the animal welfare decree, arguing that a fine of 50,000 or 100,000 pesos could deter individuals like Leonardo Pons, who, according to her, is capable of committing any crime if he mistreats an animal in the way he did.
The activist pointed out that the suffering experienced by the Cuban people is no justification for committing acts of mistreatment like this, "because my mom is 70 years old and has two jobs."
He pointed out that individuals like Pons, who not only kill a cat to eat it but also torture the animal and boast about their cruelty on social media, should be compelled by the government to work in order to obtain food in a dignified manner.
This is not the first time that events of this nature highlight the need for a change in the Animal Welfare Law, which many animal advocates criticize for being too lenient.
In 2021, when it was approved, some activists pointed out that the fines imposed on individuals for acts of animal cruelty should be severe. However, the law only includes amounts of up to 7,000 pesos.
Following the scandal caused by incidents of animal abuse during the International Agroindustrial Food Fair in 2022, authorities from the Ministry of Agriculture (MINAG) imposed fines of only 3,000 pesos on those involved in the "rodeo" conducted by a group of men using lasso ropes on a terrified cat.
This incident, which occurred in plain sight of bystanders, along with the subsequent penalties, highlighted the leniency of the Animal Welfare Law and, above all, its limited effectiveness in preventing acts of mistreatment and abuse.
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