Cuban animal lovers hope new law changes attitudes

The communist government will pass its first law to protect animal rights next month

Published: October 15, 2020 10:46 AFP and Compiled by Christian Borbon, Senior Web Editor

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Havana's streets teem with abandoned animals and are littered with carcasses of chickens sacrificed in religious rituals, while, behind closed doors, dogs are thrown into illegal deadly fights. Image Credit: AFP

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But things are changing in Cuba thanks to pressure from a growing middle class, and the island nation will soon pass a law to protect animal rights. Image Credit: AFP

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Cuba's streets are full of dogs and cats in a poor state, often abandoned for economic reasons. The lucky ones are picked up by individuals or animal welfare groups who sometimes go hungry to feed them. Image Credit: AFP

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In Havana's San Miguel del Padron neighborhood, 49-year-old housewife Noris Perez organizes her life around 23 cats and 38 rugged dogs, the first of which was rescued eight years ago from a pavement where it was suffering from epileptic fits. Image Credit: AFP

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The large dogs live in kennels on the roof while the smaller ones and cats call the kitchen home. Image Credit: AFP

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Cats and dogs are seen at a private animal shelter in Havana. Image Credit: AFP

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The aim of the new law is to "guarantee the physical and mental integrity of animals." Image Credit: AFP

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While offenders could be hit with fines and even prison sentences, the main aim is to change attitudes because "the science of animal welfare is something new." Image Credit: AFP

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There's also the issue of confronting a religious tradition of animal sacrifice amongst the Santeria cult - a religion created in Cuba that mixes Catholicism with the Nigerian Yoruba faith brought to the island nation by slaves. Image Credit: AFP

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Even more controversial is the question of cock and dog fights. Image Credit: AFP

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Often organized in secret at out of town locations, these combats to the death between two specially trained animals are often so savage that the victor also succumbs to its injuries. Image Credit: AFP

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That's not the case for cock fighting, though. It's an activity that is so anchored in Cuban culture that the family of late revolutionary hero Fidel Castro owned a fighting ring. Image Credit: AFP

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Even a dog fighting fan, who also insisted on anonymity, admitted that "watching two dogs fight is not good." However, he said he enjoyed the spectacle on which people can place bets worth thousands of dollars, and even risk their homes. Image Credit: AFP

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A man trains his dog to fight in Havana. Image Credit: AFP

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