Public Opinion About Punishment for Animal Abuse in Spain: Animal Attributes as Predictors of Attitudes Toward Penalties

Not all animals are perceived in the same way given the types of crimes of abuse and neglect that are included in the Spanish Criminal Code and the penalties for such crimes. The aim of this study was to assess public opinion (based on sex, age, location, pet ownership) on issues related to animal attributes (based on animals' rights, whether they are considered sentient beings, and the responsibilities of humans toward them), the importance given to penalizing animal abuse, and which authority is considered the most appropriate for resolving such cases. A questionnaire based on a Likert-type scale attitude assessment model was responded to by 1,473 individuals (40.6% male; 59.5% female). In addition to demographic characteristics, seven statements were included to evaluate a person's perception of the capacity of animals to feel pain and to suffer, and the animal's status within the family sphere. Three statements were designed to quantify respondents' perceptions of punishment based on the context in which the abuse occurs. Four statements measured respondents' perceptions of the role of a judge and the role of a mediator in penalizing animal abuse. The last section of the questionnaire included a question on the type of penalty that is appropriate for punishing those convicted of animal abuse. The study confirmed that humans differentiate animals based on how emotionally close to humans is the animal with which we form an attachment. In addition, the responses of women, young persons, urban dwellers, and pet owners were more sensitive to an animal's position in society. Respondents expressed greater agreement with fines rather than prison sentences as a punishment for animal abuse.