Um estudo acerca da legislação sobre os maus-tratos com animais

Abstract

The knowledge of legislation on the mistreatment of animals is the utmost importance for a possible prevention against abuse these. Lack of population knowledge about animal rights implies the absence of rights of claim with the public authorities. The 1988 Federal Constitution, in Article 225, paragraph 1, item VII, recognizes that animals are living beings endowed with rights by imposing on society and left to the State the duty to respect life, body liberty and their physical integrity, in addition to expressly prohibiting practices that cause the extinction or subject to any animal cruelty. The approach about the protective laws of the animal acquires importance of interdisciplinary nature covering animal rights in all aspects, also including public health. Research that can discuss animal rights and contribute to the academic and social knowledge are relevant. As a result, this project proposes to conduct a study on the knowledge of the legislation on animal abuse. The study was conducted within the city of Mossoró, state of Rio Grande do Norte and conducted by literature and field research, through the application of 1,572 questionnaires to the largest population of eighteen years of age. It was obtained as a result that 51.84% of respondents are guardians of livestock, while 48.16% are not. About what responsible ownership, is 24.81% answered that they know what it is, while 75.19% said they do not know what it is. Of those surveyed, 68,00% know what would be animal welfare and 32.00% do not know. Furthemore, 84.92% answered that they know what constitutes ill-treatment of animals, while 15.08% said they did not know what would. Asked whether they observe stray animals in squares and streets, 94.72% answered positively, while 5.28% answered negatively. On the question of the existence of legal protection for pets, 58.97% answered yes, while 41.03% said they did not know of the existence of legal protection. With regard to knowledge of the population of Mossoró/RN on pet protection laws, 19.15% said they know the laws and 80.85% said they are unaware. About the penalty for those who mistreat domestic animals, research has obtained the following results: 11.32% said it would be worth the detention of three months to one year and a fine; 3.50% said it would be imprisonment from three months to one year and a fine; 12.15% said it would be a fine; 3.18% said it would be worth it to provide services to the community; and 69.85% do not know what the penalty for mistreating an animal is. In conclusion, it suggests that the population of Mossoró/RN is unaware of the law on animal abuse