Animal Law in Lebanon

Introduction

Lebanon is a small country in Western Asia that occupies 0.007 % of the world's land surface area and is home to 2.63% of the world's reptile, bird, and mammal species. A lot of animals are endemic to the country or can be found there, such as the gray wolf, the red fox, the mountain gazelle, the wild boar, etc. There are approximately 31 species of reptiles and amphibians are found in Beeqa Valley, including tortoises, chameleons, and various snakes, lizards, frogs, and toads.

After 8 years of work, Animals Lebanon, an animal welfare and protection organization, contributed to the adoption of the official law protecting animals and making animal cruelty illegal in the country. In 2010, Animals Lebanon was working on ending the cruel circus, however, there was no legal basis for that. The Law has been enacted recently, a few years ago, and, currently, the country has a strong law for animals in terms of wording that protects animals from pain, suffering, and distress. This proves that in small countries where animal legislation is non-existent, the animal rights movement can make a change and influence the government.

Unfortunately, some Asian countries, including Lebanon, are facing human rights issues inside the country or non-enforcement of other significant regulations, thus animal protection takes a lower place in terms of priority. However, issuing a separate law on the protection of animals is an important step for the country, its animals, and animal rights activists.

General Animal Protection Legislation

Animals Protection and Animal Welfare Law establishes general requirements for animal handling, breeding, farmed animal regulations, using animals in scientific research, regulation of zoos, circuses, etc. For instance, the animal is defined as a “multicellular organism of the Kingdom Animalia including all mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.” (Art. 1(1.4)) The Law provides separate definitions for a wild animal, a farm animal, a stray animal, and a domesticated animal. That being said, a wild animal is an animal that is not domesticated; a farm animal is a domesticated animal that is raised for the purposes of food consumption and agriculture; a stray animal is a domesticated animal that “is not under direct control by a person or not prevented from roaming;” and a domesticated animal is defined as an animal “of a breed or species that has over a significant number of generations become adapted to the environment of humans.” (Art. 1)

The Law provides that any person handling an animal is not allowed to inflict pain, suffering, distress an animal, put animals in danger and/or torture. Anyone who handles animals shall provide basic needs and vaccination in accordance with an animal’s age and species. It is prohibited to use animals in fights against animals and humans; use animals for entertainment purposes that would cause animals’ pain, suffering, distress; use animals as prizes; etc. (Art. 4) As it was mentioned above, the Law also prohibits using animals in circuses and other entertainment places where animals suffer.

Transportation of Animals

Transportation of any animals shall comply with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live Animal Regulations for air animal shipments. As for the transportation of animals by sea and land, it shall comply with the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). The Law provides that animals shall be loaded and unloaded with the most appropriate methods of transportation for the welfare and safety of animals, the details of which shall be specified by the Order of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Para. 5.4 of Art. 5 of the Law states that “transporting without delay the animals which comply with the requirements of export and import from/to the establishments or transport facilities designed for accommodation or transportation. In case of non-compliance with the requirements of export and import, the existing legal rules shall apply without prejudice to the provisions of this Law and animal welfare.”

Farmed Animals

Chapter IV of the Law provides the general regulations with regard to keeping and raising animals for the purposes of food consumption, i.e, the Law requires to obtain a license to operate commercial farming, to slaughter animals in licensed slaughterhouses, etc. Chapter IV also contains the provision on working animals stating that animals “must not be worked when in poor health, when too young or too old, or if the work environment or the equipment used threatens their safety or growth, or exceeds their natural capacities or inflicts distress, pain, or suffering.” (Art. 16)

Penalties

The Law also contains the Chapter on sanctions and the violations of any provisions. Art. 26 states that any breach of the provisions of the Law is punished with a fine LBP 3 000 000 - 20 000 000 (USD 1988 - 13 255).