This was achieved through joint work between the Executive Branch, the Deliberative Council, and animal protection organizations in our city.
The Deliberative Council unanimously approved an ordinance that establishes a prohibition on the breeding and commercialization of companion animals for profit within the municipal jurisdiction. The measure covers dogs, cats, rodents such as hamsters and guinea pigs, as well as native and exotic species.
The initiative's central objective is to promote animal welfare, prevent situations of abuse, and discourage commercial practices that do not consider criteria for responsible ownership. It is framed within compliance with national laws No. 14,346, regarding protection against animal abuse, and No. 22,421, on wildlife conservation, in addition to Provincial Law No. 4,841.
The sale of companion animals in veterinary clinics and pet shops is prohibited, as is any type of advertising related to commercial purposes in digital, printed, or audiovisual media.
The Municipal Veterinary Department, under the Secretariat of Health, was designated as the enforcement authority, with the possibility of coordinating tasks with other municipal, provincial, and national agencies and security forces when the situation requires it.
AGAINST ANIMAL ABUSE
In this sense, the head of the Municipal Veterinary Department, Julio Gesualdi, remarked that the enactment of said ordinance signifies "a very important step forward for our function because we receive several reports weekly of clandestine animal breeding facilities, which are later commercialized informally, with posts on social media under conditions of overcrowding, manifesting animal abuse."
Therefore, "the protocol for an animal abuse report is carried out at the police station, from there the report is elevated to the Prosecutor's Office, a search warrant is ordered, and that is when we present ourselves to corroborate that there is animal abuse. In this way, we greatly streamline this work, and the one who will put this ordinance into operation is the Municipal Veterinary Department, so we can go directly and corroborate that," he added.
Meanwhile, Gesualdi stressed that this represents "a very great advance to move forward and fight against animal abuse. This speaks to the municipal administration's prioritization of companion animals."
JOINT WORK
Furthermore, Gesualdi highlighted the joint work with the animal protection organizations Conciencia Animal, the Society for the Protection of Animals of Concordia, the College of Veterinarians, and the Deliberative Council in full to advance the creation of said regulation.
"The project was worked on by the Executive Branch and introduced to the Deliberative Council through the Juntos por Entre Ríos bloc. We had a meeting with all the blocs and animal protection entities before it reached the floor and was approved unanimously," indicated Gesualdi.
OTHER SCOPES
The ordinance contemplates a sanctioning regime that includes fines of between 30 and 50 juristas for those who fail to comply with the regulation, in addition to the payment of costs related to the transport, assistance, and veterinary maintenance of the animals. In cases of recidivism, the fine will be 50% higher.
Finally, it was established that the funds collected from sanctions must be allocated exclusively to awareness, prevention, and sensitization campaigns regarding responsible animal ownership.
With this regulation, the municipality of Concordia reinforces its commitment to animal rights and advances in the construction of a more just, ethical, and responsible community.