Dog Insurance - New Law

[Trooperman]

I keep reading, in various news alerts, about a new law concerning insuring ones dog against liability claims. As usual, these notifications leave more questions than answers!
As I read it, a law that used to pertain to "dangerous" breeds, now applies to ALL dogs and is not dependent upon that law being adopted by each region or not, and it requires someone (or the dog? or the household?) to have public liability insurance in case that dog causes damage/injury to a third party.

At least, that's my interpretation.

Apparently it is spelled out in a Boletin somewhere, but my Spanish is not good enough to understand all the nuances that it will contain.
Does anyone have definitive answers to all the questions that will/have arisen?...or who can point us dog owners in the right direction?

Such as:
is it required per dog or per household and if the latter, how is that defined?
I've read it only applies to dogs up to a certain age, if that is correct, how is that age determined? (My dog was abandoned and his age is a guess!)
Is there an upper limit on the amount of insurance/compensation?
Does the dog need to be chipped to identify the actual dog that's insured? (Mine is, but many are not)
Is there an accompanying court process to determine liability if two parties disagree?

There's probably loads more "what ifs" that I haven't yet thought of.

I think my existing household insurance contains some references to liability to third parties and I must closely examine that small print I suppose to see if that covers whatever this new law requires....Oh! What joy.....a morning wasted in turgid small print!

[El Cid]

The law is published here. https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2023-7936
Google translate will give it to you in English. It is well written and easy to understand.

To answer your specific questions, it is the individual animal that is insured and the policy must include the chip number. All dogs, cats and ferrets must be chipped and neutered. Failure to do so can give rise to a fine of between €10k and €50k. I'm not sure I understand what you mean by parties disagreeing.
The amount of the insurance cover is not clear, but all policies tend to have very high limits.

Also, euthanising an animal unless by a vet for specific reasons (eg drowning kittens) can cost you between €50k and €200k.

Sid

[Trooperman]

Thanks Sid. Some light reading whilst sheltering from the 38 degree heat this afternoon!

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by parties disagreeing.

What I meant was the establishment of "fault" after an incident of damage caused by a dog. I suppose it'll be up to the insurance company to negotiate as it is in the case of car insurance, but maybe if an insurer refutes a claim and refuses to pay compensation, a denuncia could ensue ultimately determined by a court.

As I said, I will read and inwardly digest the pearls of wisdom from the Spanish state but, All dogs, cats and ferrets must be chipped and neutered. is going to cause problems.......if ever the law is enforced!

[Wicksey]

All dogs, cats and ferrets must be chipped and neutered. Failure to do so can give rise to a fine of between €10k and €50k.

Also, euthanising an animal unless by a vet for specific reasons (eg drowning kittens) can cost you between €50k and €200k.

Sid

It would be so good if this law was enforced Sid. In the campo we are surrounded in these hills by houses with dogs. Some chained when the owner (Guardia Civil officer) isn't there, many in cages, others roaming free. I really cannot imagine that these dogs will be chipped and neutered, let alone insured.

An annoying couple up the hill from us obtained two dogs last year, obviously siblings. They bark like mad during the night keeping my OH awake. He happened to walk past last night and the owner was outside so he had a word with her. She indicated they are guard dogs and are brother and sister. Then she announced that the female was now expecting 5 pups .... would we like one Goodness know what will happen to those. They are not hard up and could afford to have them neutered. Drives me nuts here. Next minute you find a load of kittens or pups throw in the bin

There was a huge colony of cats in a little hamlet of houses we drive through. The numbers have reduced greatly so, again, I dread to think what's happened to those. We often saw tiny little cats, very pregnant looking. Breaks my heart to see them and I don't think any law will stop it around here.

[El Cid]

Its been some years in the making. It comes into effect next month, but there are many transitory provisions which will last for some time.

Will it be enforced?? Who knows, but is now so clear what you can and cannot do, that it will be ever so easy to denounce offenders. I assume it will be up to Seprona to enforce it.

Sid

[Trooperman]

I started this thread because of the intense campaigns of information coming my way about compulsory insurance for dog owners.
As Sid has pointed out, the law (and I have now read it in its entirety thanks to Google) covers just about ALL aspects of animal ownership with many onerous responsibilities on local authorities as well as individuals.
But here's the bit about insurance and also about a compulsory course on responsible ownership that will, at some stage, become a requirement and which, I imagine, will affect most people on this forum:

1. Persons who choose to be owners of dogs must prove that they have completed a training course for the ownership of dogs that will be valid indefinitely.

2. This training course shall be free of charge and its content shall be determined by regulation.

3. In the case of the possession of dogs and throughout the life of the animal, the holder must contract and maintain in force a civil liability insurance for damage to third parties, which includes in its coverage the persons responsible for the animal, for an amount of sufficient amount to cover the possible expenses derived, to be established by regulation.

[spanish_lad]

All dogs, cats and ferrets must be chipped and neutered. Failure to do so can give rise to a fine of between €10k and €50k.

Also, euthanising an animal unless by a vet for specific reasons (eg drowning kittens) can cost you between €50k and €200k.

Sid

Some chained when the owner (Guardia Civil officer) isn't there, many in cages, others roaming free. I really cannot imagine that these dogs will be chipped and neutered, let alone insured.

when we "inquired" about the neibours dogs to the guardia civil, they asked "is it a farm? then theres nothing we can do .. they are farm / guard dogs"... they dont come under "mascota" law.

[El Cid]

There is nothing in the law that makes any exceptions for "guard dogs" This new law does not come into effect until next month. It is a hugely comprehensive law and affects everyone who is involved with almost any animal. To refer to it as a "dog Insurance law is totally misleading. The insurance part of it is a very small, relatively unimportant part of it.

The fines for noncompliance can be huge. The euthanasia of an animal can only be carried out by a vet for very specific reasons. The fine for noncompliance is between €50k and €200k. Drown 5 kittens and it could cost you a
€1 million.

Sid

[Wicksey]

Trouble is here Sid is that they just chuck them down the hill or in the bins. If they're not caught actually doing it, then I can't see it being enforced in the campo much, sadly.

[El Cid]

Yes you are probably right, but when one of them is caught or denounced, one huge fine might focus their minds.

Sid

[Wicksey]

This was in our in local newsletter today regarding the new pets law which incorporates the dog insurance:
"What Pets Are Banned From 29 September?: {Translation, summary}
- The list of animals that can no longer be kept at home are: spiders, parrots, lovebirds, parakeets, Vietnamese pigs, hedgehogs, snakes, geckos, lizards, iguanas, chameleons, guinea pigs, rabbits, chinchillas, hamsters, mice and turtles. (Time to invest in ant farms? -Ed.)
- As of September 29, it will no longer be possible to keep these animals as pets at home. Now, if you already own one of them, you will have to inform the competent authorities . Otherwise, you will risk a fine that can reach 200,000 euros depending on the seriousness of the infraction."

I think parrots are quite popluar here and rabbits too. The pet shop in the Rincon shopping centre always had them and Tiendanimal stocks all their food. I used to have one, not in Spain, but I thought it would be a good transportable pet to have in the future for travelling. No yowling cat all the way! Or easy for a pet sitter to look after. So that's out of the question now.

[ashtondav]

Phew! My ever increasing cockroach collection is exempt.

[El Cid]

Just make sure you don’t cross breed one with a Pitbull!

Sid

[spanish_lad]

rabbits and one of my fish are seen as an "invasive species", and anyone owning them has to register them. Cant see me having my fish neutered tho

[El Cid]

Fish with chips?

Sid

[olive]

When I got up today, I never dreamt I would save 25 euros by burying someones puppy.

We were in a well spaced out line of cars driving along. First car lobs out a puppy. Second car drives over it and deals it a head injury. Drives on.

We stop and take the poor ( but well fed) bleeding creature to the nearest vet. As suspected, no chip and vet declared zero hope. I will put it down for you for twenty euros. If you inter it you will save 25 euros.

All very upsetting.

[Wicksey]

That's awful olive.

I've read that they want to delay the introduction of the insurance for some reason. I'm sure there's a lot more dogs than usual up here in the campo. There's been an increasing number over the years, mostly in cages or locked into the fenced property and left to bark all night. In the past few months there seems to be more though and I guess none of the laws will be applied out in the campo, not that the new law will stop them barking all night!

[olive]

Saw two abandoned hunting dogs today on the same stretch of road. How cowardly are the” hunter” owners?

As a campo dweller, I think the populace ought to protest and get all dogs included but then they haven’t even managed to introduce the watered down law.

[Lavanda]

As I wrote some time ago on another thread, in Cáceres province all the vets have got together and agreed to lower the cost of getting cats neutered. The whole area is swamped with them and all the sanctuaries are full. People should be denounced as much as possible and animals should be neutered. We had our dog neutered and he was insured. It was simply a matter of common sense. I also had to do the 'test' to get the licence to keep a dog — and that was 13 years ago. All of the 'foreign' people in this area with dogs and cats have them neutered, insured, trained (well, not cats, obviously) and they are kept as household pets. It's the Spanish who need educating and if denuncias are the way to go, I'm all ready to play my part. Anonymously. For obvious reasons.

[Trooperman]

.....and if denuncias are the way to go, I'm all ready to play my part. Anonymously. For obvious reasons.

Is it possible to do a denuncia anonymously?.....or is it just relying on a town hall employee/guardia person to keep stuuum?