People who mistreat animals will have to pay “a fine ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 euros, according to the new provisions.” The minimum jail sentence for animal cruelty will be one year in Greece.
A new law in Greece has made extreme animal cruelty a felony and can lead to a maximum 10-year prison term. This was unanimously passed by the Greek Parliament recently.
Fines for other forms of animal abuse, such as abandoning pets and a range of acts that compromise the well-being of animals, are also being increased.
The law clearly describes terrible acts of cruelty such as “poisoning, hanging, burning, animals being mutilated.”
Greece’s Minister of Agriculture, Makis Voridis, who introduced the legislation, said that it was “a strong message sent to Greek society by Parliament.”
“These acts can no longer be accepted by society,” he added, referring to two recent cases which shocked Greece and precipitated the change in law.
Greece is known to have many stray dogs and not the best animal rights out of many countries in Europe. While Greeks love dogs and have them as pets in their homes, the country still has many stray dogs roaming the streets and many are frequently poisoned.
We hope that these new laws will help Greece eliminate the ongoing animal cruelty.
