Fines under Spain’s Animal Welfare Law range from €500 to €200,000. The amount depends on the seriousness of the offence and may vary by location, since autonomous communities and town councils impose the penalties.
Article 25 prohibits using an animal in a public place as an ambulant attraction for economic or commercial gain. It also covers advertising. The restriction applies when an animal draws people’s attention for financial benefit.
The rule does not affect the right of people without homes to be accompanied by their pets. That is separate from using an animal as a public-facing commercial or promotional draw.
The law also restricts animals’ use in activities that cause suffering, including pain or distress. It covers artistic activities, as well as uses for tourism or advertising. Two cases are prohibited outright: animals in mechanical rides or fairground carousels, and wild animals in circuses. Those bans require no proof of suffering.
Approved in 2023, the law sets its purpose as recognizing and protecting animals’ dignity. Spain’s national framework is Law 7/2023 of 28 March on the protection of animal rights and welfare, published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE). Spanish law also recognises animals as sentient beings, including under Article 13 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the Civil Code. A separate report on minoxidil exposure in pets covered another risk to cats and dogs.
