Quintana Roo Animal Welfare Law Compliance Reaches Only 60%, Advocates Report

Chetumal, Quintana Roo — State and municipal authorities in Quintana Roo have achieved only 40 to 60 percent compliance with the Animal Protection and Welfare Law, according to animal rights advocates who say key provisions remain unimplemented.

Rafael Rivero Aburto, president of the “Every Life is Important” group and a member of the Animal Welfare Network, said not all government bodies have followed the guidelines established in the law, which was approved in 2019 and published in the state’s official gazette. The law prohibits killing animals, using them for entertainment, or causing them harm, and establishes penalties for violators.

In 2023, reforms were approved that recognize animals as sentient beings rather than objects, ban fireworks, and require the creation of a pet registry and a registry of people who violate animal cruelty laws. However, Rivero Aburto said these provisions are only partially enforced.

Pet Registry and Penalties Still Pending

“State and municipal authorities need to get involved because the law needs to be applied,” Rivero Aburto said. “I see about 40 to 60 percent application of the law since its approval regarding the new modifications, because we don’t have a pet registry, we don’t have the registry, and penalties aren’t applied to pet owners who take their dogs for walks without a leash.”

He added that irresponsible owners still fail to vaccinate their pets, don’t feed them properly, and that there’s no accurate count of how many pets exist in the state since no statistics are maintained.

A pet registry would help protect owners during legal proceedings, Rivero Aburto explained, since judges currently require proof of ownership, and municipal recognition would provide that documentation.

Municipal Progress on Animal Welfare Centers

Regarding animal welfare facilities, Rivero Aburto said only Tulum, Isla Mujeres, Benito Juárez, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, and Playa del Carmen have renovated and improved their animal welfare centers. Other municipalities still need to address their facilities or lack dedicated centers entirely.

Educational authorities also need to establish training and information manuals for basic education students so they learn about animal care and protection from a young age.

Rivero Aburto emphasized that social media isn’t the proper place to file complaints—reports should go through municipal health authorities, competent areas within city governments, or the State Prosecutor’s Office, which can apply penalties that increased after the 2023 reforms.

Another omission by municipalities is the lack of a registry of approved veterinary clinics with proper documentation, which became concerning after the Xibalba case.

Reforms Needed to Strengthen Animal Cruelty Penalties

The most recent reform to the law, submitted to the State Congress by the Green Ecologist Party, seeks to protect dignity and regulate pet funeral services in the state and is currently under review.

Attorney Abraham Torres Tello noted deficiencies and gaps in the Animal Protection and Welfare Law that become apparent during court proceedings. He said the crime of animal violence needs updating with more severe penalties since many aggressors “shield themselves with ‘nothing happens.'”

While attention to animal mistreatment has increased, Torres Tello said there are sometimes gaps in the law when applied in practice, as with the Xibalba case, where responsibility hasn’t been firmly established for the company that affected pets or their families.