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What it is

Proposal to stop treating animals as things under the law

Committee step 4 of 7 · Unfinished

It is a members’ bill. Introduced by parliamentary groups, the Senate, regional governments or citizens. It was introduced on 6 October 2017. Introduced by: Grupo Parlamentario Popular en el Congreso.

Official title: Private member's bill amending the Civil Code, the Mortgage Law, and the Law of Civil Procedure, regarding the legal regime of animals.

Follow this law

Source: Congreso de los Diputados, file 122/000134· updated 11 Nov

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

  1. The bill would change the Civil Code to state that animals are not things but living beings with the ability to feel. The rules for property would only apply to them when compatible with their nature and protection.
  2. Owners could still use and dispose of their animals, but must ensure their well-being. They could not mistreat or abandon them, except as allowed by law.
  3. If a third party kills or seriously injures a companion animal, the owner and those living with it could receive compensation for emotional suffering, set by the court.
  4. In separations and divorces, the judge would decide which spouse gets care of companion animals, based on the family's interest and the animal's well-being, regardless of who owns it.
  5. The bill would prevent a mortgage on a property from being extended to companion animals.
  6. Companion animals could not be seized to pay debts, though any income they generate could still be seized.

Who it affects

  • Animal owners: They must ensure the animal's well-being and may not mistreat or abandon it.
  • Couples separating or divorcing: A judge would decide who gets care of companion animals.
  • People who find a lost animal: They must return it or report it, and may keep it if the owner does not appear within six months.
  • People with debts: Their companion animals could not be seized.

Words worth knowing

Código Civil (Civil Code)
Spain's main law governing relationships between people, such as property, contracts and family matters.
Hipoteca (mortgage)
A loan to buy a home or property, secured by that property: if not paid, it can be seized.
Embargable (seizable)
Something a court can take to pay a debt.
Vicios ocultos (hidden defects)
Serious defects in something sold that are not visible at the time of purchase.

It summarizes the drafting committee report. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries

Where it stands

How far did it get?

It took 4 of 7 steps. It reached Committee, and today it is unfinished.

  1. Introduced6 October 2017Someone registers the text in the Congreso.
  2. Admitted10 October 2017The Bureau of the Congreso accepts it and, for a members’ bill, the plenary decides whether to consider it.
  3. Amendments22 December 2017Groups propose changes.
  4. Committee7 March 2018A committee goes through the text in detail.
  5. Plenarynot reachedAll 350 deputies vote.
  6. Senatenot reachedThe Senate can pass it, amend it or veto it.
  7. BOEnot reachedIt is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and comes into force.
See the 11 official steps on a timeline
Dec 2017Mar 2018Jun 2018Sept 2018Dec 201811. 6 October 2017: Presentación22. 10 October 2017: Boletín Oficial de las Cortes Generales Publicación desde 10/10/2017 hasta 13/10/201733. 10 October 2017: Calificación44. 13 October 2017: Gobierno Contestación desde 13/10/2017 hasta 21/11/201755. 21 November 2017: Pleno Toma en consideración desde 21/11/2017 hasta 13/12/201766. 13 December 2017: Mesa del Congreso Acuerdo subsiguiente a la toma en consideración desde 13/12/2017 hasta 19/12/201777. 19 December 2017: Comisión de Justicia Publicación desde 19/12/2017 hasta 22/12/201788. 22 December 2017: Comisión de Justicia Enmiendas desde 22/12/2017 hasta 07/03/201899. 7 March 2018: Comisión de Justicia Informe desde 07/03/2018 hasta 19/02/20191010. 19 February 2019: Comisión de Justicia Aprobación con competencia legislativa plena desde 19/02/2019 hasta 05/03/20191111. 5 March 2019: Concluido - (Caducado) desde 05/03/2019 hasta 27/03/2019

13 December 2017

How did the plenary vote?

More votes in favour 340 yes · 0 no

Voted on: Private member's bill by the Popular Parliamentary Group in the Congress, to amend the Civil Code, the Mortgage Law, and the Civil Procedure Law, regarding the legal regime of animals.

Source: Congreso de los Diputados, vote 1 of sitting 94· updated 10 Nov

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Your province

How did the deputies from your province vote?

And your senators: the Senate does not link its votes to this law in its open data, so we cannot put them side by side here.

Or see how most of each province voted
More details: how each group and each province voted

The groups

Who voted in favour and who against?

In favour, most of Socialista, Vasco (EAJ-PNV), Mixto, Ciudadanos, Gcup-ec-em, GER and Popular en el Congreso.

By province: in 52 most voted in favour; in 0, against.

Coloured by how most of each province’s deputies voted.

  • In favour: 52
  • Against: 0
Result by parliamentary group
GroupSeatsHow it voted
Socialista84
82 in favour · 2 did not vote
Vasco (EAJ-PNV)5
5 in favour
Mixto19
16 in favour · 3 did not vote
Ciudadanos32
32 in favour
Gcup-ec-em67
66 in favour · 1 did not vote
GER9
9 in favour
Popular en el Congreso134
130 in favour · 4 did not vote

What happens next

What happens now?

The legislature ended before it finished. To go on, someone would have to introduce it again in the new Cortes.

It was presented again:

Sources

Where does all this come from?

  • The data comes from the open files of the Congreso, the Senate and the BOE, unaltered.
  • Each deputy’s province is the one of their seat on the day of the vote.
  • We only say “passed” or “rejected” when the majority needed is certain; otherwise we say which side had more votes.

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