When the family is dogs and cats

There are people who feel an unconditional love for animals. Some say that they prefer them to people and treat them as members of their family. Others live with a large number of animals although, in some cases, they do not have the resources to provide them with the basic conditions for feeding and veterinary attention. .

"Humans, shit For me, the ones that hurt me are the animals," said Colombian novelist Fernando Vallejo, accused of donating the $ 250,000 of two of his literary prizes, the Rómulo Gallegos Prize and literature in Romance languages ​​FIL, in defense of animal badociations of his country.

We all know someone who would say the same thing. The love for animals seems to increase more and more, and in the vast majority of Argentine households, there is at least one pet. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), for example, in the main cities of Latin America, there is one dog out of four people.

"Although the origin of pet ownership is prehistoric, this practice appears to have reached unprecedented levels in Western culture in recent decades.In these countries, the number of foster homes dogs or cats has steadily increased, "said Marcos Díaz Videla, psychologist and author of the book. Anthrozoology and dog-human relationship.

In a big company

At the present time, it is not difficult to find people who live with a large number of animals. The voice interviewed for this report four women who share their lives, at home, with a large number of animals. Between the four, add 70 copies of dogs and cats.

From Anthrozoology, an emerging scientific field that badyzes the human-animal connection, they argue that the causes for which a person decides to share his life with animals can be multiple. One of them is that animals develop feelings such as safety, joy and companionship.

In addition, the positive influence of animals on human health is an area to which anthropology has devoted many pages. Among these benefits, psychologist Diaz Videla says that the relationship increases physical activity because people who have pets are more active and more exercised.

On the other hand, animals are configured to facilitate social interactions, because they allow to intensify contacts with strangers, because they are the ones who attract their attention and also improve the social image of their children. owners, making them friendlier.

Noah's syndrome

"Pets are an excellent antidote to unwanted loneliness," says Spanish doctor Manuel Serrano Vázquez, a specialist in psychiatry. This "magic" solution can cause many people to accumulate a large number of animals at home.

There are people who convert the accumulation of animals into a mental disorder called Noah's syndrome. Affected individuals tend to rescue animals in the street on the pretext of feeding them food and lodging, but they can not comply with their animals' nutrition, veterinary care or maintenance of conditions. necessary hygiene.

How to recognize a case of Noah's syndrome? According to the Animal Accumulator Research Consortium, an American research group, to consider that a person is an animal accumulator must take into account the following aspects: having animals to which they can not provide the care needed to cover their essential needs, lack of perception of the problem of animal welfare or denial of it by the person concerned.

The altruistic task of rescuing animals limits a pathology in which the person, unable to provide the necessary conditions, is mistreated.

This is confirmed by Law 14.346 on mistreatment and cruelty to animals in Article 2, stating that "not enough and enough to feed pets or captive" is a form of abuse.

Iván Mochkofsky, a lawyer, an active member of the bar of Córdoba Bar, said: "In these cases, you must introduce yourself.The most important thing to bear in mind is the criminal law, the famous" law Sarmiento. "Thus, a judge will conduct an investigation and the next step will be the abduction of those animals that, in general, already have a base that will hold them at trial.This place is called judicial repository."

Animal inspectors

He added that there is an order in the city of Córdoba to regulate the number of pets. "The possession of more than three large animals, or four medium-sized animals, or five small animals, may be subject to inspection by specialized personnel of the same." competent municipal authority ", indicates the ordinance n ° 11 006. Many of these cases triggered strong complaints from the neighbors. Some even complain.

According to the Civil and Commercial Code, animals are clbadified as movable property, that is to say that they belong to the category of objects that can move alone or in case of force majeure. In any case, animals are considered objects and objects of appropriation, which gives their owners the right and the responsibility to eliminate them without any limitation other than that provided for by law.

"If you harm an animal, it's as if you are damaging a car, that's what the laws of Argentina say.It's the same house as it is." an animal, they are not subjects of law before the law, "says lawyer Mochkofsky.

Guided by this regulation, the possession of pets is not prohibited. However, many of the new horizontal properties or new condominiums establish some guidelines for the possession of animals in their coexistence rules.

"There are many problems with consortia, and every building has its own regulations, but they are all similar: most of them do not allow animals," said the animal justice board member.

One of the people interviewed by The voiceNilda Morales said she had a hard time finding a house to rent because, in most places, she was told she could not have animals.

Although the possession is not forbidden, when the animals cause discomfort, it is denounced by means of the article 6 of the law 12.512 of the horizontal property, which prohibits the occupants of apartments "to disturb with the noise the tranquility neighbors".

It does not change that for many people pets are part of their family: they celebrate their birthday, dress them and even paint their nails.

"This is directly badociated with the love and care of the animal.We use a language of affection to define its place, it is dependent, it requires an education, a game and a physical proximity", said Díaz Videla.

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