Matt KendallA majority of lawmakers in Costa Rica have passed a new animal welfare bill that sets harsher punishments, including prison time, for abusing or killing “domestic and domesticated animals” in the Central American nation.
The bill aims to protect, dogs, cats and other pets, but also farm animals, such as cows, horses, sheep and pigs; however, lawmakers excluded wild animals altogether, arguing that they are already protected by the Wildlife Act.
The new legislation includes potential monetary fines ranging from $184 to $368 for those who mistreat, neglect, or abandon animals, and threatens prison time that can range from three months to two years for those found guilty of killing a domestic or a domesticated animal.
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