The lawyer from Buenos Aires, Nicolás Juan Molinari, presented a bill in the National Congress that aims to reform the historic “Sarmiento Law”, in force since 1954, to strengthen animal protection and toughen penalties for abuse and cruelty. Among its most relevant proposals is the ban on animal-drawn vehicles nationwide, a measure that would directly impact tourist activities such as luggage transport by mules in Aconcagua Provincial Park.
The criminal lawyer Oscar Mellado, a specialist in animal rights in Mendoza, supported the proposal and highlighted that the reform responds to a growing social demand for tougher sanctions against animal cruelty.
The project includes sentences ranging from 6 months to 5 years in prison, in addition to fines of up to 60 times the Minimum Vital and Mobile Salary (SMVyM), for those who engage in animal abuse. Among the prohibited actions are:
– Not properly feeding domestic or captive animals.
– Using them in abusive or harmful conditions to their health.
– Denying them veterinary care when necessary.
– Restricting them in inadequate spaces or exposing them to extreme temperatures.
– Abandoning them in public places or in conditions of neglect.
– Using artificial stimulants in competitions, such as drugs to enhance performance.
## The Case of Aconcagua Park and the Controversy over Mules
One of the most controversial aspects of the project is the ban on animal-drawn vehicles, which would affect the use of mules for luggage transport in Aconcagua Provincial Park. According to park rangers, between 900 and 1,000 mules are used for this activity each season.
Reports of deterioration in the animals’ health have been recurrent. In January of this year, 70 mules with severe wounds, signs of malnutrition, and inadequate living conditions were reported. The situation worsened when the College of Veterinarians of Mendoza terminated its contract with the provincial government and ceased providing services in the park.
Lawyer Mellado argued that “it’s time for the mules to live their lives and graze”, referring to the need to replace this method of cargo transportation.
## Projects in Mendoza Aim to Eliminate Animal-drawn Vehicles
While the Congress analyzes the national-level project, a similar proposal by the deputy Emanuel Fugazzotto of the Green Party is advancing in Mendoza, seeking to ban animal-drawn vehicles throughout the province.
The legislator proposes an “adaptation process” to gradually eliminate the use of mules in the high mountains and replace them with drones or ATVs. He also suggests alternatives for horses used in carts in urban areas, proposing that they be replaced by bicycles with carts and that the animals be integrated into equine therapy programs or Rural Police.
Fugazzotto denounced that Aconcagua Park “ceased to be a protected area to become a ‘shopping mall'”, referring to the mass tourism and the impact on wildlife.
## Penalties for Animal Cruelty: A Stricter Legal Framework
Molinari’s project also establishes stricter sanctions for various forms of animal cruelty, including:
– Animal experimentation: Vivisection and the use of animals for scientific research or product testing are prohibited.
– Intentional run-over: Those who injure or kill animals due to gross negligence are penalized.
– Shows with animal suffering: Cockfighting, dog fights, bullfights, rodeos, and dog races are prohibited.
– Unjustified euthanasia: Euthanasia cannot be used as a method of population control. It will only be allowed with veterinary certification in cases of incurable suffering.
Mendoza was a pioneer in the prohibition of euthanasia to control wildlife, a measure reinforced by the reform proposal.
## What Will Happen with the Law?
From the Secretariat of Environment and Territorial Planning of Mendoza, it was mentioned that the provincial government will wait for the evolution of the national project before taking a definitive stance. If the reform is approved in Congress, Mendoza will have to decide whether to adhere to the new regulations or not.
The discussion on animal-drawn vehicles and animal abuse continues to generate contrasting positions among animal rights defenders, tourist sectors, and communities dependent on these practices for their livelihood. What is clear is that animal protection has gained a place in the country’s political and legislative agenda.
## What Does the “Sarmiento Law” Imply?
The Sarmiento Law was National Law No. 2786, approved in 1891, which prohibited animal abuse in Argentina. It was named in honor of the former president Domingo F. Sarmiento, who stood out in animal protection.
In fact, this regulation was the first Argentine law that sought to enshrine animal rights and established fines for offenders, but no prison sentences. It also mandated police cooperation with the Argentine Society for the Protection of Animals to enforce the law.
The law bears the name Sarmiento because this famous historical figure used the written press to address animal treatment issues, not to mention that he was appointed president of the Argentine Society for the Protection of Animals between 1882-1885. Thanks to his work on animal protection, Law 14346, enacted in 1954, was a penal law that punished abuse and cruelty to animals.
Source: El Sol.
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