- Albania -
exit news reports that the “Albanian parliament has approved in principle amendments to the Criminal Code to enforce harsher punishments on those who abuse animals.”
The long overdue changes were reportedly proposed by animal protection associations and include strict punishments for those that injure, mistreat, or inflict cruelty on animals.
This means that those found guilty of animal abuse now face between one and two years in prison depending on the crime.
· “Whoever motivated by evil or without reason kills an animal is punished with imprisonment of six months to two years.”
· “Whoever, without lawful reason, injures an animal or subjects it to actions which bring about its suffering, shall be imprisoned for between four months and one year.”
· “Whoever, motivated by evil or without reason, forces an animal to perform services, work or undertake behaviors that go beyond the relevant standard is punished with imprisonment of one to three months or a fine of 50,000 ALL ($479) to 100,000 ALL ($959).”
Under the new law, there will also be ridiculous punishments for those that abandon animals, and those who don’t keep animals in sanitary or hygienic conditions.
· “Abandonment of escorted animals or those kept in captivity constitutes a criminal offence and is punishable by 10,000 ALL ($95) to 30,000 ALL ($287).
· Any action carried out which goes against the wellbeing of animals or keeping them in inappropriate conditions is punishable by a fine of between 100,000 ALL ($959) to 200,000 ALL ($1,918) and imprisonment of up to six months.”
The law will also punish those evil individuals who use innocent animals for fighting purposes.
· Those caught organizing or directing fights between animals can face up to two years in prison and a maximum fine of 300,000 ALL ($2,878).
· People who give up their animals for fighting will also be punished.
They can be imprisoned for two years and fined up to 1 million ALL ($9,594).
· Those who kill animals with malice or without reason (such as for food), can be imprisoned for up to two years.
*Voice For Us note: So much still needs to be done worldwide to protect animals.
I cannot believe that in the 21st century there are still countries where animal welfare laws are non-existent, or countries where animal welfare laws are still not strong enough to protect the animals!*
