Under the current Jalisco penal code, anyone who steals a pet is likely to avoid jail time.That would change if legislators approve an initiative now under discussion in the state Congress.
Prison terms anticipated under the reforms would range from one to three years, or three to five years if a ransom is demanded by petnappers, said Movimiento Ciudadano (MC) congresswoman Alejandra Giadans Valenzuela, who presented the bill.
“The theft of domestic animals is increasingly on the rise in our state,” she said. “People who violate animals show zero empathy, sensitivity and humanity, which is why it is vital to put a stop to it.”
In addition to prison terms, perpetrators of such crimes would also be obliged to pay a fine, up to a maximum of 18,673 pesos.
In an amendment to existing laws covering animal abuse, legislator Fabiola Cuan Ramírez presented a proposal that would see prison terms increase to as long as eight years in the case of the death of an animal.