Opinion (Rogério COPETO / Official GNR): The GNR AND PROTECTING PETS.
Last week the Vila Flor Court sentenced to a fine of € 450, owning a pet, for allowing it to be used in a traditional festival called "Burning Cat", the facts of which occurred in the village of Mourão, municipality of Vila Flor, in 24 June 2015.
Rogério COPETO
Lieutenant Colonel of the GNR
Master in Law and Security and Homeland Security Auditor
Head of the Education Division / Command Doctrine and Training
This popular custom is to introduce a cat in a pot, which in turn is tied to a pole, however coated straw, that is fired, with the aim of flames reach the cord which holds and burn, allowing the pot to fall to the floor, and break to free the cat, that despite burned, can still survive.
The video of this practice was placed on social networks, having the same generated outrage in those who viewed, noticiava as at the time the Public, to your article 26 June 2015 "Cat burned alive in popular festival generates revolt in social networks", and therefore it has been made their denunciation for ill-treatment of companion animal to GNR, it is now known, They added 90 complaints to the authorities, and all of which were appended to the criminal investigation, however prepared by GNR.
By reason of the resulting social disapproval of such custom and as such tradition consubstanciava the commission of a crime of mistreatment of pet, the organizers of the festivities that took place this year, They replaced the cat, walks, keeping the same party, but now without the existence of ill-treatment of animals.
This event is part of the 7 264 complaints registered by GNR mistreatment of animals since the entry into force of Law 69/2014 in 29 August, to 30 September this year, many of them received in the "SOS Environment and Territory", through the blue number 808 200 520 or by e-mail sepna@gnr.pt, the GNR has available 24 hours per day, and the entire national territory coverage (mainland and autonomous regions) where citizens have the opportunity to report situations that might violate the environmental legislation and / or Animal.
It was through the statement "Mistreatment of pets – Balance two years", the GNR released this data and other, It has been several media, who took the opportunity to give eco GNR activity under the supervision of the said diploma, indicating-se, by way of example not to be boring, Public Article, published in its issue of the day 15 November with the title "Cruelty to animals lead to ten complaints a day and 34 crimes per month in two years"And TVI24 part of 15 November called "GNR recebe 10 complaints a day of mistreatment of animals".
That statement thus gives account, that under the ill-treatment surveillance for pets, o Dispositivos da GNR, through the Nature Protection Service and the Environment (SEPNA), recorded, in two years, between August 2015 and September 2016, 7 264 complaints, an average 10 per day, and prepared 9 820 contraordenação cars, averaging 14 per day, mainly for lack of identification chip, vaccination and / or health and hygiene conditions and participated to prosecutors 673 crimes, averaging 1 monthly.
Através do SEPNA, which was established in 2001, GNR is constituted as environmental police, responsible for monitoring, supervise, reporting and investigate all violations of legislation to protect nature, the environment and natural heritage, throughout the national territory, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations concerning the conservation and protection of nature and environment, water resources, both alone and gives rich hunting, fish, forestry or other, provided for in environmental legislation, and investigate and prosecute illicit respective.
He SEPNA desenvolve diariamente uma intensa actividade, namely: awareness actions for the protection of nature and the environment and for the protection of forests against fires; protection of natural resources stocks, solo, Water and air; species protection actions; forest protection actions; prevention of contamination of the natural environment actions, through surveillance and control of potentially degrading activities, and checking the levels of contamination; repression of unlawful acts against nature and environment; repression of unlawful acts against nature and environment; ensure coordination at national level of preventive activity, surveillance and detection of forest fires and other damage to the environment, and; investigates violations that have knowledge, identifying the perpetrators.
With regard to Law No. 69/2014, of 29 August, making the thirty-third amendment to the Penal Code, which criminalises the abuse of pets, important to know that pet is by definition, any animal owned or intended to be held by man, particularly in his home, for your entertainment and company, being excluded animals for farm, livestock or agroindustrial, as well as the animals for commercial entertainment or other purposes provided by law, and the abandonment of a crime punishable with imprisonment of up to 6 months or a fine of up to 60 days.
Commits the crime of abandonment, who does not treat the animal, endangering their food and care, It is the more severe punishments to those who, without legitimate reason, cause pain, pain or other physical abuse of a pet, whose sentence to apply poe go to 1 year imprisonment or a fine up 120 days or 2 years imprisonment or a fine of up to 240 days, if ill-treatment causing the death of the animal, deprive him of an important organ or affect its serious locomotion capacity and permanently.
A pet is not an "object" disposable as our convenience, not a "toy" for children or adults, because owning a pet means taking responsibility, It is therefore necessary to consider before purchasing or adopting an animal, checking if you have conditions for their detention, taking into account, the size of the animal, by the space available, the time you have available to dedicate her, the choice between a baby or adult dog, the temperament of his race, if it is a dog race and your gender.
Having acquired or adopted a pet should proceed to the registration, the parish council of your area, as well as the identification by electronic method (vulgo chip), all dogs born after 1 July 2008, cats being exempted from that requirement, still complying with the acts of medical prophylaxis in relation to your pet, making always follow the health report and if it is an exotic animal, make sure the animal has all the original documentation proving their legal origin (CITES certification), and possession of any exotic animal without the holder proof of legal origin, power constitute the practice of a crime.
For the animal to travel on public roads or public transport, You should use a harness or collar, with the name, address and / or contact the holder and, in the case of dangerous or potentially dangerous animals, You must always move with muzzle and leash, It is prohibited the presence in the public way or place dogs without being accompanied by the holder and without functional muzzle.
In this context the company of animal protection and other areas, a GNR, SEPNA has played by these last 15 year old, an important role in the aspect of environmental protection and nature, providing unique conditions on the national scene to fulfill this mission, once your device is deployed from north to south, including the islands, giving it enormous power of action based on a deep knowledge of the field.
