Animal protection act to become law soon.

Colima state Animal Protection Act will be passed in 2 more months

State congressmen Germán Virgen of the PRI party, and Milton de Alba of the PAN party admitted that unfortunately congress has taken too long to resolve and accept the proposal of a Law for the Protection of Animals filed two months ago. The purpose of the law is to ban cockfighting and bullfighting, and to address the welfare and treatment of these and all animals.

Germán Virgen and Milton de Alba stated that this is an issue that is important for all citizens to understand, and it is urgent that they know that animals are also entitled to be treated with dignity in life and in death.

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At the last meeting with different animal rights groups and veterinary doctors of the state, it was agreed that the act will become law no later than two months from now.

The Act contains orders requiring each municipality to have a health care and animal protection plan available. The plan should tell the municipalities and municipal police how to proceed in abuse cases, and how to give humane treatment to animals, and in cases when the animal must be euthanized, how to do it properly and painlessly.

Funds for this program will come from a public environmental fund which will be used by the different municipalities to promote the welfare and protection of animals. According to Germán Virgen the law will affect the welfare of all animals, but the main point is to combat cockfighting and bullfighting.

In a cockfight, two roosters fight each other to the death while people place bets. Cockfighters let the birds suffer untreated injuries or throw the losing birds away like trash afterwards.

Each year, approximately 250,000 bulls die in bullfights. Animal rights activists believe that "bullfight" is an inaccurate term for events in which there is very little competition between a nimble, sword-wielding matador, and a confused, maimed, psychologically tormented, and physically debilitated animal. The acts of the bullfight are designed to weaken the bull's back and neck muscles with lances, then further weaken the animal by bloodletting, and finally kill the animal with a sword. If done properly, the animal dies instantly, but usually this is not the case. Most bulls are killed by having their throats cut while incapacitated from other injuries.

Germán Virgen and Milton de Alba feel the change should be a gradual one, since around these activities, there is an industry that generates thousands of jobs.