A law that has as its objective the protection of circus animals, was published on 22nd February 2019.
The law contains several measures with an aim to establishing this goal:
- It creates an obligation to register circus animals, namely through the use of microchips, and foresees the creation of a national register of circus animals;
- It prohibits the use of wild animals in circuses, according to a definition contained in special legislation, and only admits the use of animals not considered as wild, namely domestic and farm animals;
- The new law sets out a transitional regime, according to which any existing titles which authorize the use of wild animals, will lapse six months after this law comes into force, and no new authorizations will be issued;
- It creates a program of voluntary delivery of wild animals used in circuses, as well as financing destined for the requalification of circus workers who train the wild animals;
- Finally, it provides for the creation of new recovery centers for wild animals.
The law comes into force on 23rd February 2019.