Spain: Rights groups urge more protection for hunting dogs

MADRID (AP) — Animal rights groups and pet shop owners have marched in separate demonstrations to protest a new animal welfare law sponsored by the Spanish government. The draft legislation has fueled criticism after a last-minute amendment excluded hunting dogs from the law’s protection, meeting hunting lobbies’ demands. The new law will ban the use of animals in fairs and shows and forbids the sale of cats, dogs and ferrets in traditional pet shops. It also raises fines for animal abuse to 200,000 euros ($216,000) and introduces a two-year jail sentence for the most serious cases.