The province of San Luis took a significant step in legal matters: its new Contravention Code came into effect and incorporates concrete sanctions for animal protection.
Thus, in cases of animal abuse, San Luis now has more precise legal tools for situations that previously remained in a regulatory void.
Additionally, the new Code also strengthens actions against digital violence and assaults on health and education workers.
The reform was approved in the Legislature on November 19 and promulgated by the Executive Power on December 10, with publication in the Official Gazette five days later.
San Luis: animal protection with legal support
The new code typifies intermediate situations that the previous legal framework did not contemplate.
In this regard, Judge Antonella Panero explained to El Chorrillero that animal abuse already existed as a crime.
However, certain situations; such as abandonment, overcrowding, or the possession of dangerous animals, fell into a legal void.
“One of the new articles talks about the state of abandonment and overcrowding or unsanitary conditions,” Panero noted about the new code.
“Now I can send a verification with police personnel and they can provide me with a report regarding whether that animal is in good condition,” the lawyer detailed.
In these cases, if the poor condition of the specimen under analysis is confirmed, “the responsible party can be seized and made available to the competent administrative authority.”
The sanctions for these contraventions range from 150 to 500 Fine Units —equivalent to between $248,250 and $827,500— or arrest from two to five days.
The new animal protection regulations in San Luis apply to those who:
- Have dangerous animals without complying with current regulations
- Keep animals in prohibited conditions
- Neglect their custody or entrust them to inexperienced people
- Have animals that may obstruct traffic or cause damage
- Keep animals in a state of abandonment, overcrowding, or unsanitary conditions
Digital violence and assaults on workers, also in the spotlight
The code also incorporates digital contraventions such as harassment, bullying, sextortion, doxing, and identity theft. Sanctions range from 250 to 1,000 Fine Units, with the possibility of arrest.
Judge Daniela Benenatti highlighted to El Chorrillero the importance of legislating the digital environment: “The digital issue is a world that has advanced much faster than laws have.”
Therefore, from the San Juan Justice, they work “with professionals who have the means to identify people who use technology to commit these acts,” she stated.
The code also sets sanctions of 150 to 300 Fine Units for those who physically or verbally assault health or education personnel. This applies to situations both inside and around public or private establishments.
How to file a complaint in San Luis
Citizens can file complaints at their jurisdiction’s police station, the Fiscal Approach Unit, or the corresponding Juvenile and Contravention Criminal Court.
The Judicial Power’s website is also available, where a form is completed and automatically forwarded to the competent body.
Panero recommended that people “try to be specific in the drafting of the event.” And she detailed: “If they have any type of evidence, witnesses, images, as it is always better to be able to typify or address the event.”
Both magistrates announced that they are working on training with police, health, and educational personnel to ensure proper reception of complaints under the new regulatory framework.
