In December 2024, Mexico amended its constitution to prioritize animal welfare at the national level. By signing reforms to Articles 3, 4, and 73, President Claudia Sheinbaum marked the first time nonhuman animals have been explicitly mentioned in Mexico’s constitution. These changes grant the federal government the authority to legislate animal welfare, a responsibility previously handled by local and state governments, which often led to inconsistent enforcement.
One of the most significant aspects of the reform is the creation of a General Law of Animal Welfare, Care, and Protection, which will establish guidelines for treating all animals, including farmed, wild, laboratory, and companion animals. This law aims to prevent mistreatment and exploitation, ensuring that protections are not left to the discretion of individual states. This shift is expected to address long-standing gaps in animal welfare regulations, particularly in industries such as factory farming and animal entertainment, where previous oversight was minimal or nonexistent.
Beyond legislative changes, the reforms will mandate the inclusion of animal welfare education into school curricula nationwide. By incorporating humane education into public and private schools, the initiative seeks to instill values of compassion and responsible animal care among younger generations. Animal rights advocates argue that early exposure to these principles will help build a culture that prioritizes ethical treatment of animals, potentially reducing cases of animal abuse and neglect in the long run.
While these reforms mark a major victory for animal protection, there are questions about how effectively they will be implemented. Given Mexico’s status as a leading global producer of livestock and animal products, industries with financial stakes in animal agriculture are expected to push back against stricter welfare laws.
These constitutional amendments also reflect Mexico’s growing role as a leader in animal protection in Latin America. In 2017, Mexico City formally recognized animals as sentient beings in its Constitution, and that same year, the federal government made dogfighting a criminal offense. In 2021, Mexico became the first country in North America to ban cosmetic testing on animals.
The true impact of these reforms depends on how Mexico drafts and enforces its General Animal Welfare Law. If strong protections are implemented and properly enforced, Mexico could set a new global standard for animal rights legislation. However, if industry influence weakens key regulations, these reforms might not bring the significant change that animal rights advocates hope for. As the government moves forward, animal protection organizations will play a crucial role in ensuring that Mexico’s constitutional recognition of animal welfare translates into real, lasting improvements for animals nationwide.
Works Cited
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“Breakthrough: Mexico’s Constitution Now Includes Animal Protection as a Fundamental
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Delgado, Sam. “Mexico Just Put Animal Welfare into Its National Constitution.” Vox, 7 Dec.
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