The Chamber of Deputies unanimously and with a qualified majority of 450 votes approved the amendment to the Constitution in Mexico to guarantee animal protection and care. With the approval of the ruling, Articles 3, 4, and 73, as well as the second and third transitory provisions of the draft decree, are reformed and added. This document was sent to the Senate to continue the legislative process.
During the discussion, a reservation presented by Morena deputy Martha Olivia García Vidaña was accepted, which proposes that the Congress of the Union have greater powers to issue laws on the protection and welfare of animals. The deputy expressed: “With this adjustment, it is established that animal care is a coordinated responsibility among federal, state, and municipal governments; legislation will be created for fair and dignified treatment, recognizing the importance of animals in people's lives and the environment. Respect, empathy, and care for living beings is promoted in Mexico, we protect those who cannot do so and guarantee a future in which animal welfare is a reality.”
The approved ruling establishes the prohibition of animal abuse and ensures that the Mexican State guarantees their protection, proper treatment, conservation, and care, in terms outlined by the respective laws. Congress is empowered to issue laws that establish the participation of federal, state, municipal governments, and the boroughs of Mexico City in animal protection matters.
Congress has a period of 180 calendar days from the decree's entry into force to issue the general law, which will regulate the prohibition of abuse in the breeding, use, and slaughter of animals for human consumption, as well as in the use of wildlife specimens in profit-making shows, in addition to measures to address pest control and health risks.
The approved ruling arose from an initiative presented by the Executive on February 5, 2024, which includes proposals from deputies in the LXV Legislature.
