Animal Equality Delivers 100,000 Signatures to Mexican Congress

On March 14th, efforts to incorporate animals within the Mexican Structure reached a big milestone when Animal Equality’s crew offered 100,000 petition signatures in Mexico’s Congress of the Union. This effort is a part of Animal Equality’s broader marketing campaign to safe constitutional recognition for animals in Mexico.

As a result of animal welfare legal guidelines are presently decided by native and state governments, inconsistencies throughout the nation create difficulties with enforcement. Altering Article 73 of the Federal Structure would give Congress the facility to create animal welfare legal guidelines that may supersede state and native rules.

Animal Equality members and volunteers gathered exterior the Chamber of Deputies as petitions have been delivered, calling consideration to the cruel realities of animal cruelty within the agriculture business. Holding up putting posters that depicted the struggling skilled by animals, they referred to as for stronger authorized protections to higher safeguard animals from ache and struggling.

Animal Equality’s Journey to the Chamber

Animal Equality’s journey to the very best ranges of Mexican Authorities stems from the group’s latest work throughout the nation.

Throughout investigations into slaughterhouses and farms, Animal Equality’s groups documented animals being hanged by their hind legs as they bled to dying, acutely aware pigs being dropped into scalding sizzling water, pigs beat with axes, a lamb’s head ripped from its physique whereas acutely aware, the electrocution of animals, and the presence of underage staff in slaughterhouses.

Animal Equality’s campaigning and investigations paid off in 2019 when lawmakers within the state of Jalisco approved an initiative to criminalize cruelty to farmed animals at slaughterhouses. Since that point, Animal Equality has been working intently with the Ministry of Well being and different animal welfare teams to make sure correct implementation of the brand new rules. Animal Equality has since been included in Jalisco’s Council for the Care and Welfare of Animals, highlighting ongoing efforts to enhance the lives of animals within the state.

In 2022, the state of Hidalgo adopted Jalisco’s instance by creating an entire chapter of law dedicated to animal welfare on farms. These legal guidelines criminalized among the most egregious behaviors, similar to killing animals with out prior gorgeous. Video surveillance grew to become a requirement, whereas the state additionally cracked down on “yard” slaughterhouses. Mexico Metropolis lately criminalized these clandestine operations, as nicely.

Lastly, in December 2022, Animal Equality proposed an initiative in the state of Veracruz to ban practices similar to fracturing animals’ limbs and submerging them in boiling water whereas nonetheless alive. The proposal acquired majority approval from the deputies after its presentation within the Congress of the State of Veracruz.

Collectively, these legislative steps led Animal Equality to advocate for nationwide reform, culminating within the group’s presence earlier than the Congress of the Union.

Mexico’s Path to Animal Welfare Reform

Animal Equality offered its initiative to change Article 73 of the Federal Structure in December of 2022. This January, the Constitutional Factors Fee of the Chamber of Deputies permitted it with 15 votes in favor, 5 towards, and 1 abstention. It was then despatched to the Board of Administrators.

As a result of the legislative course of is now on maintain, the supply of those 100,000 signatures is meant to expedite its journey to the Chamber of Deputies and Senate of the Republic, who should in the end approve it. Fortuitously, Animal Equality has been working with Federal Deputy Fausto Gallardo García of the Inexperienced Ecologist Celebration of Mexico to maneuver this proposal ahead.

I’m positive that legislators will acknowledge the pressing and compelling want for this initiative and that they won’t deny animals probably the most fundamental protections for his or her lives and well-being. It’s pressing to make structural modifications that start with the legal guidelines.

–Dulce Ramírez, Vice President for Latin America // Animal Equality

Compassion on the Rise in Mexico and the U.S.

Whereas Animal Equality’s legislative work is setting the stage for future reforms, the one technique to remove animal cruelty fully is to go away it off our plates.

In each Mexico and the USA, hundreds of thousands of shoppers are taking steps towards a extra compassionate future by selecting plant-based options. With free on-line sources and a variety of plant-based choices available in grocery shops, making this transition has turn into extra handy than ever.