José Ramón Becerra took up his position as general director of Animal Rights a little over a month ago with a very clear challenge: to develop the controversial animal welfare law that came into force on September 29 of last year.
Bilbaíno, 54 years old, has to determine which animals can be purchased or adopted, the content of the mandatory course for dog owners or propose the disappearance of the list of potentially dangerous dog breeds.
He does not agree with the exclusion of hunting dogs from the law, because “it is not understood that there can be first-class and second-class dogs,” but “that said,” he abides by it.
Becerra, from the Greens-Equo, describes himself as a dialogue-maker and points to mid-2025 as the horizon for completing the regulatory rollout of the law, but if he had to choose “between meeting the deadlines or broadening consensus, he would choose the latter.” he assures.
Ask
.
There are people who consider that animals do not have rights.
What would I say to them?
Answer
.
This debate is almost philosophical, but in practice the fundamental thing is that today's society believes that animals must be given rights, because they are sentient beings.
And it is necessary to ensure that they have adequate protection and well-being and that is what this general direction tries to achieve with the animals that live with us in our homes.
P.
_
What is the main problem of these animals in Spain?
R.
_
The abandonment.
The figures we have are not as rigorous as we would like.
In fact, we want to tender a contract to carry out a serious study.
P.
_
The animal welfare law came into force in September 2023 at half speed.
Is there a date for the regulation that will develop it?
R.
_
It will not be developed in a single phase, there will surely be several regulatory provisions.
The idea is that we can have the regulatory rollout of the law complete by mid-2025.
P.
_
What is the first thing you are going to address?
R.
_
We have almost ready the issue of civil liability insurance, which will be compatible with those that already exist in the home and that have coverage for animals.
The creation of the State Animal Protection Committee is also close, a body in which the Government, the autonomous communities and civil society will sit.
P.
_
When will the list of animals that will be able to be purchased or adopted be available?
R.
_
That will be the last phase of the development of the law.
It is a controversial issue that has generated rejection and approval in equal parts and we want to review it with the greatest possible rigor, because we know that it has important social and economic implications.
P.
_
Animal sales businesses and pet owners are a bit lost.
R.
_
The main thing is that right now wild animals are sold that will always be kept in captivity, and the list must take into account which ones can live in those conditions.
On the other hand, there are dangerous or poisonous animals that can pose a risk to people.
In any case, we are not talking about domestic or domesticated pets, they can be snakes, spiders, monkeys or other mammals, birds... And at the same time, we must prevent the prohibition of certain species from leading to greater illegal animal trafficking. .
It is not an occurrence, the list already exists in other European countries and works.
P.
_
What do you think about the exclusion of hunting dogs from the law?
R.
_
It is bad news, because society has clearly spoken out in favor of all dogs having similar treatment when they are not carrying out their function or activity.
It is not understood that there are first-class and second-class dogs.
That is, a hunting dog or an explosives tracking dog must have minimum well-being conditions.
That said, the obligation of the Government and this general direction is to comply with what the law says and these dogs are not included.
P.
_
He has met with the hunters.
Does it represent an approach towards this group?
R.
_
Let's listen to everyone.
Before we had met with animal and environmental associations, ranchers, breeders or companies that are dedicated to the sale of animals.
But it is evident that in the development of a law where hunting dogs do not appear, hunters will not have the same weight.
P.
_
Is bullfighting an activity to be prohibited?
R.
_
It is an activity from times past that makes no sense in today's society, which deeply rejects it.
Sooner or later, without the need to prohibit it, it will become extinct, but in the end, the last word belongs to Spanish society.
P.
_
What do you think about hunting?
R.
_
It is also from times past and attracts less and less support in society.
I think that if he is not able to adapt to these new times, he will surely follow the course of bullfighting.
For most of Spanish society, it is not defensible to kill animals for fun or pleasure.
P.
_
Will the current list of potentially dangerous dog breeds disappear?
R.
_
It is a provision that we want to introduce in the regulatory development.
It is about not linking the status of special handling dogs [potentially dangerous dogs] to the breed, but to the behavior of the animal through an evaluation by specialists.
P.
_
What will the mandatory course be like for dog owners?
R.
_
We are trying to develop the specifications to tender an
online
platform to give the courses.
We do not yet have the content, but it is not intended that they be experts, but rather to have some main guidelines on responsible ownership of the animal, which has its own behavioral patterns.
Let's not forget that there are millions of dogs and coexistence can be complex, especially in urban spaces.
P.
_
What can be done with cat colonies?
R.
_
Right now, there is only one alternative for ethical management of feline colonies and it is the CER method [capture, sterilization and return to their place of origin].
We have had street cats for decades that cause damage and can transmit diseases.
What the law proposes is comprehensive management of the colonies, which includes, in addition to sterilization, a reliable census, strict monitoring of their evolution and offering training to the volunteers who care for them.
Last year we allocated more than one million euros to help municipalities that manage their feline colonies.
P.
_
Citizen collaboration is important.
R.
_
Yes. Feeding abandoned cats, unless it is within ethical management, is completely useless for the purpose we pursue.
And feline owners should be aware that they are better off indoors than outside.
P.
_
Does the General Directorate of Animal Rights focus only on companion animals?
A.
The distribution of powers is very clear.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is responsible for regulating the welfare conditions of animals for production and sale, and the General Directorate of Animal Rights is responsible for those of companion animals.
Q.
And the welfare of wild animals?
R.
_
They are in nature and the best way to protect them is to guarantee that the ecosystems in which they live are in good condition.
This is where the third part of the triangle comes in, which is the Ministry for the Ecological Transition.
P.
_
There are family dog breeders who fear for their activity.
R.
_
Whoever is a family breeder cannot have the same consideration for the purposes of compliance with regulatory requirements as a professional breeder, but that does not mean impunity, because there must be traceability, which is the only way to guarantee well-being from birth to death. .
What we cannot have, as is happening now, are overflowing animal collection centers, because unwanted animals end up on the street.
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