Honduras

Honduras joins countries like Canada, Sweden, Greece, Peru, Paraguay and Costa Rica (among others) in banning the use of all animals in circuses. The Honduran National Congress approved the Animal Welfare Act that regulates the use of animals in various types of industries and shows.

Moreover, the law includes an article that bans dog fighting, a terrible practice that is often linked to the cruel breeding of dogs and others who are stolen from families and forced to fight.

This law shows a notorious progress for animals in this Central American country. Penalties of 3-6 years in prison were established, as appropriate. There are also high fines now for Hondurans if they abuse or neglect animals.

Much remains to be done, but this law regulates various practices such as animal transport, experimentation, factory farming and others that so far were unregulated. The non-regulation of these practices means a carte blanche for these industries.

In the various stages of the approval of the law, several organizations were involved such as the Animal Rights Society of Honduras (Sociedad Animalista de Honduras), exposing the views of animal protection groups to legislators.

We hope that other countries join Honduras in prohibiting the use of animals in circuses and all kinds of shows and cruel festivals where animals are mistreated. It is vital that protection of animals is included into the political agendas of all governments. Thus the status of animals in society becomes visible and normalizes and legitimizes the work of organizations working to protect our fellow partners living on this planet.