The aim of this regulation is to establish obligations to protect animals, care for them in decent living conditions, guarantee their rights, promote their healthy development, prevent their ownership from causing danger to others, train them with non-violent methods, care for them properly, provide them with the necessary healthcare, and so on.
Significant changes
Among the most significant changes introduced by the Law is the obligation to have civil liability insurance regardless of the age, size or breed of the animal. Prior to this law, insurance was only compulsory in some Autonomous Communities, as well as for potentially dangerous dog breeds. Mandatory cover that, incidentally, has been eliminated as the focus is now on the behavior of each individual dog regardless of its breed. The policy, which has to include the people responsible for the animal, must be for a sufficient amount to cover any possible expenses arising from an incident involving the animal. Although the minimum amount of this cover has not yet been specified, to give you an idea, in the Autonomous Regions where it was already mandatory -Madrid and the Basque Country- this figure could not be less than 120,000 euros.
How does it work?
Pet liability insurance covers bodily injuries, material damages or damages caused by the animal to third parties. Some of the cover of this kind of insurance includes the payment of any compensation that may result from these damages; the constitution of the necessary legal bonds to guarantee the procedure; the legal costs and the total amount of the insured person’s liability in the claim; the defense of the insured person in case of civil claims, even when the claims are unfounded, and the defense of the insured person in criminal suits.
It should be remembered that the insurance sector offers specific pet insurance policies that, in addition to civil liability, have a more extensive cover, including damage to the animal in case of accident, theft or loss; medical care for pets or a stay in a kennel due to the hospitalization of the insured person. In short, protection and security for these animals, which for all intents and purposes are members of the family.
