A shocking incident of severe animal cruelty has sparked outrage across social media, reigniting criticism of the ineffective and lenient Animal Welfare Decree-Law in Cuba. In the town of Mayabeque, a man brutally struck a dog with a shovel and subsequently tossed her from a second-floor balcony, resulting in her death. Despite the heinous nature of the act, the perpetrator was merely slapped with a 3,000 Cuban pesos administrative fine.
The event was brought to light on Facebook by activist Yenney Caballero, who recorded and live-streamed the confrontation with the aggressor. During the confrontation, the man openly admitted, "Yes, I killed her," as Caballero demanded an explanation and exposed his identity to the community.
The video captures the palpable anger and frustration of Caballero and those gathered, as they recount how the man "beat the dog with a stick" before "throwing her down" from the second floor. Witnesses in the vicinity corroborated the assault, though, as Caballero lamented, no one stepped in to stop the violence.
"He tells us right to our faces that he killed her just because he wanted to," Caballero is heard shouting. "Enough is enough. How much longer must we witness this? This isn't just a misdemeanor; it's murder," she declared, calling for amendments to the Animal Welfare Decree to enforce truly deterrent penalties.
Caballero publicly proposed fines of 20,000 or 30,000 pesos for such acts, arguing that "a fine of 3,000 pesos accomplishes absolutely nothing." She further criticized the government's inaction in the face of a situation that has become all too common for animal rescuers and protectors in Cuba.
"Our homes are filled with injured, abused animals. Meanwhile, murderers like this continue to mock us openly," Caballero stated. "The pain we feel is indescribable. We fight to save lives every day while the state lets these killers walk away with a laughable fine. Where is the justice?" she questioned, visibly emotional at the end of her broadcast.
Activist Enma Silvente, from the Facebook group XL_Colonias, publicly identified the aggressor as Leonardo Campos Valdés and confirmed he was confronted by several animal rights advocates at the scene. "He was confronted, judged by several women who showed up there. He never expressed any remorse," she reported.
Silvente also noted that the 3,000 pesos fine was imposed by Evelyn, an Animal Health specialist, and criticized it as a mockery. "Is a dog's life worth 3,000 pesos? Absolutely not," she wrote in her post.
"We will appear at every place where someone massacres animals; we will be there as long as the punishment remains a pathetic fine," she warned, echoing the national outcry among activists for a genuine animal protection law and immediate revision of the existing fines allowing for impunity in animal abuse cases.
This incident is not an isolated case but rather adds to a growing list of reports highlighting the lack of real protection for animals in Cuba, despite existing regulations that, in practice, are not enforced with the severity warranted by the seriousness of these crimes. For years, the animal advocacy community has demanded changes to Decree-Law 31/2021, enacted after protests and sit-ins outside the Ministry of Agriculture, which has proven to be an ineffective tool lacking real mechanisms to firmly combat animal abuse.
The case has once again raised alarms among activists, rescuers, and concerned citizens who, faced with institutional silence, continue to do the work the state is either unwilling or unable to undertake.
In a similar recent incident, an alleged animal abuser in Cienfuegos was released following a state intervention, further fueling outrage among animal rights defenders. There was also widespread disapproval of a case in Holguín, where a man who killed a cat received only a 1,500 pesos fine, considered a token punishment for the cruelty involved.
Moreover, a recent report from an animal rights organization highlighted another brutal act of abuse, underscoring the recurring nature of these incidents without real consequences for the perpetrators.
Animal Welfare and Legal Consequences in Cuba
What is the current penalty for animal cruelty under the Cuban Animal Welfare Decree-Law?
The current penalty for animal cruelty under the Cuban Animal Welfare Decree-Law is an administrative fine, which has been criticized for being insufficiently severe, as exemplified by the recent case involving a 3,000 pesos fine.
How have activists responded to the enforcement of the Decree-Law?
Activists have expressed outrage and frustration over the enforcement of the Decree-Law, demanding tougher penalties and legislative changes to deter animal cruelty effectively.
What changes are being proposed to address animal cruelty in Cuba?
Proposals include increasing fines to 20,000 or 30,000 pesos and implementing more severe legal consequences to ensure that perpetrators face real accountability for their actions.