Madrid, España. Two ministries, two draft Royal Decrees, and thousands of dogs caught in the middle: while the Spanish government debates how to regulate zoological nuclei, animals used in hunting activities remain trapped in a legal vacuum that, according to animal protection organizations, could cement decades of lack of protection.
Madrid, España. More than 17,000 citizen emails and a formal submission from AnimaNaturalis demanded in February 2026 that dogs used in hunting be excluded from the new Royal Decree on Traditional Zoological Nuclei from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA). The Ministry's response came in two words: "partially accepted." What does that mean, in practice, for the thousands of individuals living chained up in hunting kennels? Almost nothing.
Madrid, España. AnimaNaturalis has submitted formal objections to the Royal Decree being drafted by the Ministry of Social Rights, urging that facilities housing hunting dogs and packs (rehalas) be subject to the same welfare and regulatory standards as other pet zoological centers.
Madrid, España. Nearly two hundred organizations and thousands of citizens marched through downtown Madrid demanding the reinstatement of special protected status for the Iberian wolf, removed by Spanish Congress on March 20.
Madrid, España. Every year, over 50,000 dogs used for hunting are abandoned, mutilated, or killed in Spain after being deemed "useless" for hunting. While the European Parliament debates a historic law to protect dogs and cats, hunting lobbies are pushing to exclude these animals from any legal defense. How would you feel if your lifelong companion were discarded like a worthless object?
Madrid, España. Sign our petition to demand that these dogs have the rights they deserve. Only you can put an end to this cruelty that the hunters want to hide.
© 2003- 2026, AnimaNaturalis Internacional, organización iberoamericana para la defensa de los derechos de todos los animales. 