Cultural attitudes towards animals in southern Spain
Spain is well known for its bullfights, which inspire both admiration and disgust from foreign admirers. Less publicised abroad are the general conditions of pets and domesticated animals in this country. And foreign observers should understand from the very start that treatment is often very different depending on whether the animal is considered a pet or a farm animal. To begin with, attitudes towards animals differ across this country. Unfortunately, the Andalucian region stands out for cultural attitudes that lead to standards of animal treatment and care that are often considered inappropriate from the viewpoints of both foreigners and Spaniards from other parts of Spain. Traditionally animals, in rural Andalucia, have not held high standing. Even today - especially in the countryside - it is not uncommon to find dogs tied in the sun for many hours, waiting for their owners to stop by with food and water, as the country home they are supposed to be guarding is only used on weekends. Rather than provide fenced pasturelands for horses, the front feet of these animals might be tightly cobbled with bits of rope. The animals are then allowed to roam as freely as they can, with some merely hopping from one patch of grass to another because their feet are tied so tightly together. You can be sure that animal rights activists in Spain are busy campaigning for the rights of animals across the country, with many focusing special attentions on the south. Much of their pressure centres on legislative changes that will make it difficult for owners to acquire and abandon dogs and other pets at whim. They also press for justice in cases of especially atrocious violence and cruelty involving animals.
It would not be right, however, to focus only on mistreatment of animals. For even though it draws the most attention, it is not the standard. There are, in fact, many responsible and loving pet owners in Andalucia and throughout this country. These animals are often not only well kept, but even a bit spoiled, perhaps.
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