LEGAL CONSEQUENCES OF ANIMAL CRUELTY

Abstract

The Brazilian legislation has begun to recognize animals as sentient beings, capable of feeling pain and suffering, which underpins the need for their legal protection. Consequently, animal abuse has ceased to be regarded merely as a moral issue and has come to generate concrete legal implications. Although the Brazilian legal system provides for penalties against acts of animal cruelty, there are still deficiencies in its practical enforcement.Given this reality, the present study aimed to analyze the legal consequences of animal abuse in Brazil, assessing the effectiveness of the penalties established in the current legislation. It was based on a bibliographic review supported by scientific articles, books, journals, and current laws related to the subject. Data collection was carried out through databases such as SciELO, Google Scholar, among others, covering the period from 2020 to 2025. The results show that Article 32 of Law No. 9,605/1998 has become the main legal instrument for holding perpetrators of animal cruelty criminally accountable in Brazil. It served as the basis for significant subsequent developments, such as Law No. 14,064/2020, which increased penalties for acts of violence against dogs and cats, establishing imprisonment from two to five years, in addition to fines and prohibition of ownership. Furthermore, civil liability complements the criminal and administrative spheres, forming a system of multiple sanctions that seeks not only to punish but also to prevent. By being required to compensate for damages and pay indemnities, the offender faces significant material consequences, which serve as a deterrent to future acts of violence.