Veterinary clinics and walks with pets before COVID-19: an essential activity for the welfare of the animal as a sentient being.

Abstract

Given the doubts raised by Royal Decree 463/2020, of March 14, which declared the state of emergency in relation to COVID-19, and other Decrees and regulations that followed, the author of this work considers as essential activities, excluded from any strict confinement, both the opening of any veterinary clinical centre and the circulation with pets (provided it is done in their own interest). This is not only in accordance with the spirit of those Decrees and regulations, but also, more in general, consistent with the new European and national social and legal realities: they consider animals as sentient beings (living beings endowed with sensitivity), which led to establish the protection of animal welfare as a new General Principle of Law.