Fines under the Animal Welfare Act: how much they are and why

Ley 7/2023 (the Animal Welfare Act) has three types of offence, with fines ranging from €500 to €200,000. What counts as minor, serious or very serious.

The amounts

Minor: a warning or a fine of €500 to €10,000 (art. 76).
Serious: €10,001 to €50,000.
Very serious: €50,001 to €200,000.

What each one is

Minor: failing to meet an obligation or breaking a ban without harming the animal (art. 73). For example, not having it identified.
Serious: when the breach causes it harm or suffering, without death or serious after-effects (art. 74).
Very serious: when it causes its death, unauthorised killing, euthanasia carried out by someone not allowed to, or using it for fights, among others (art. 75).

As well as the fine

The animal can be taken away to a protection centre, or you can be banned from keeping animals for a period (art. 77). To set the fine, they take into account the harm to the animal, the intent, whether money was the aim and whether it is repeated (art. 78).

Your autonomous community and your council may have their own fines for things like not picking up poo or letting your dog off the lead where it is not allowed.