2024-07-23 03:36:11
The Guayaquil Chamber of Commerce recognizes that animal rights must be protected; but the bill, prepared by the Ombudsman’s Office with the support of 44 animal rights associations, adopts an extreme position that could increase the price of animal protein for human consumption by up to 20%, hinder productive activity, generate shortages and increase smuggling. It includes 181 sanctions and 156 prohibitions, mainly related to human interactions with animals for consumption.
The Constitutional Court (CC) issued Judgment No. 253-20-JH/22 in which it ordered the Ombudsman to prepare a bill on the animal rightsin relation to the treatment of wild animals and the possibility of animals taking legal action.
In this regard, the Ombudsman referred to the National Assembly he “Draft Organic Law for the Promotion, Protection and Defense of Non-Human Animals“, which far from regulating the parameters established by the Court, in the opinion of the Guayaquil Chamber of Commerce contains ambiguous, imprecise, unenforceable and disproportionate provisions.
Extreme positions that put food supply and the economy at risk
Animal rights must be protected in accordance with their nature. Our Constitution recognizes the components of nature, including animals, as subjects of rights.
However the bill in mention adopts a extreme posture that goes far beyond what
ordered by the Court, covering not only domestic and wild animals, but all species of the animal kingdom, also regulating their commercialization and putting at risk the provision of nutritional sources for humans.
As an example, the bill proposes psychological care for animals and respect for their freedom of expression, without differentiating or specifying details.
The project even raises anesthetize all animals before slaughterwhich can include crabs and fish.
According to the Chamber, these dangerous generalisations ignore the obvious particular characteristics of different types of animals and render the proposed law unenforceable.
Also included are imprecise obligations punishable by disproportionate sanctions. The project
It includes 181 sanctions and 156 prohibitions, mainly related to human interactions with animals for consumption.
For example, the sale of animals for human consumption in public spaces is prohibited, as is the export and import of live animals by sea or land, among many other restrictions.
The sanctions linked to these prohibitions include economic fines and up to closure of establishments and businesses.
“Such overregulation, which cannot be complied with, would lead to shortages, smuggling, price speculation, among other problems. Vague regulations always produce legal uncertainty and create an environment for the unacceptable abuse of the State’s power to impose sanctions,” warns the Guayaquil Chamber of Commerce.
More expensive food and a blow to households
Businessmen believe that excessive protection will take its toll on households. Applying these regulations indiscriminately will increase the cost of animal protein for human consumption.
According to him INEC12% of the basic basket It is composed of animal derived foods. Estimates based on animal welfare regulations implemented in other countries have led to increases in the price of pork by 20%, for example.
“The bill must be transformed with the participation of different sectors. The process of forming a law must be integrative, participatory and technical. This is only possible with serious and responsible debate among the different actors involved,” said the Guayaquil Chamber of Commerce.