Legislative Changes to Housing Laws in Mexico City
Mexico City legislators have approved amendments to Article 4 of the Mexico City Housing Law, which now prohibits denying rental or purchase of real estate due to pet ownership. This change also extends protection against discrimination based on cohabitation with children.
Definition of Sintient Beings
The law defines “sintient” as any living being capable of experiencing sensations and emotions, including dogs, cats, and other animals. This change took effect on October 28th and will benefit numerous individuals who previously had to live far from their workplaces or pay higher rent for accommodations that allowed pets.
Impact on Mexico City Residents
Mexico City has approximately 2.9 million housing units, inhabited by 7.2 million residents aged 18 and above. About 61.4% of these households, or 5.5 million individuals, own pets, with nearly half being dogs, according to the National Survey of Self-Reported Well-being by INEGI.
Recent Advances in Animal Protection Laws
On March 27th, reforms to the Mexico City Animal Protection and Welfare Law were published in the Official Gazette of Mexico City. These reforms aim to protect companion animals, wild and aquatic species kept in captivity, and prevent mistreatment while ensuring their safety and well-being in public spaces. Ana María Ramírez Sánchez, a UNAM law faculty member, explains these changes.
The law seeks to legally protect living beings from human actions and exploitation, shifting the perception of animals as inanimate objects to “sintient” beings. This modification updates the 2002 Animal Protection Law, which previously criminalized animal mistreatment and cruelty starting in 2012.
Benefits of the Updated Law
The new law safeguards five domains of animal welfare: nutrition, environment, health, behavior, and mental state.
Key Questions and Answers
- What changes have been made to the Mexico City Housing Law? Legislators approved amendments to Article 4, prohibiting housing discrimination based on pet ownership and cohabitation with children.
- What does “sintient” mean in the new law? Sintient refers to any living being capable of experiencing sensations and emotions, including dogs, cats, and other animals.
- When did these changes take effect? The new provisions became enforceable on October 28th.
- What is the purpose of the updated Animal Protection and Welfare Law? The law aims to protect companion animals, wild and aquatic species in captivity, and prevent mistreatment while ensuring their safety and well-being in public spaces.
- What are the five domains of animal welfare protected by the updated law? The law safeguards nutrition, environment, health, behavior, and mental state of animals.
