The Legislative Group of the PRI in Nuevo León presented a reform initiative to the Animal Protection and Welfare Law for Sustainability and the Law to Prevent and Eliminate Discrimination. The proposal aims to eradicate the exclusion of people with disabilities who require the companionship of an assistance animal in various institutions and establishments in the state.
Deputy Rafael Ramos de la Garza and Deputy Elsa Escobedo Vázquez, promoters of the reform, recalled a recent case in which a woman was initially denied access to a hotel in downtown Monterrey due to the establishment's alleged policy. According to Ramos de la Garza, the initiative seeks to prevent discrimination against people who need assistance animals in Nuevo León, emphasizing that this is an issue of both social justice and respect for human dignity.
The reform proposal would involve changes to several articles of both laws, in order to strengthen inclusion and prevent discriminatory behaviors in institutions and companies. It is proposed to establish administrative sanctions for those entities that do not allow access for people with assistance animals to their facilities, promoting inclusive and respectful practices by staff towards customers.
Additionally, the initiative includes the participation of the State Human Rights Commission to provide training on the prevention of discriminatory behaviors to company employees. The importance of guaranteeing unrestricted access to assistance animals when accompanying their owners, holders, or caregivers in places such as facilities, offices, shops, and businesses is highlighted.
In this regard, lawmakers emphasized that inclusion and respect are fundamental principles for a just and equitable society, reaffirming the need to implement measures that ensure the full participation and accessibility for all people, including those who require the assistance of animals to navigate their daily lives.
