Animal welfare and rights in Argentina is about laws concerning and treatment of non-human animals in Argentina. Argentina has weak protections for animals by international standards.
Contents
Regulations
Argentina's Law 14246 (1954) prohibits cruelty toward animals. This does not include harm caused by failure to act, and it is not clear which animals the law applies to.
Regarding farm animals in particular, Argentina also has legislation on animal slaughter and livestock transportation. There are also a legislative framework on farm animal health, which provides for the creation of an Animal Health Police force, and policy literature on good practice.
Law 14346 prohibits animal testing without qualified experimenters, demonstrable scientific interest, or the urgent need to undertake procedures on animals, and negligent conduct such as abandonment. Animals on a "superior evolutionary scale" are not to be used when using animals will yield the desired outcome.
In 2014, Argentina received a D out of possible grades A,B,C,D,E,F,G on World Animal Protection's Animal Protection Index.
Animals used for food
Between 2003 and 2012, Argentina's poultry production tripled and per capita consumption doubled. In 2012 Argentina was the ninth-largest poultry producer in the world and projected to become the fourth-largest in coming years.
Argentina is projected to have a cattle inventory of 53.2 million animals in 2016, the highest level since 2008 when herds fell dramatically due to low returns and severe drought.
Argentinian pork production rose by 40% from 2001 to 2011, when it had a swine herd of nearly 3.5 million head.
De-beaking, de-toeing, tail-docking, tooth pulling, castration, and dehorning of livestock without anaesthetic are legal in Argentina, as is confinement in veal crates, gestation crates and battery cages.
Animals used in research
In June 2015, a bill to prohibit testing cosmetics on animals was introduced to the Argentine Senate.
Animal personhood
In 2014 an Argentine appeals court recognized the basic legal rights of an orangutan named Sandra who was born in a zoo. An advocacy group filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus on Sandra's behalf, resulting in the court's declaration that the animal is a "non-human person".