Crimes of animal cruelty in Poland: Case studies

Abstract

There has been a trend in recent years towards expanding welfare measures for animal protection. In Poland, criminal law punishes a wide range of behaviour, from torturing animals to not providing proper living conditions or necessary veterinary care. Animal welfare and anti-cruelty rules are enforced by special monitoring and sanction mechanisms at both national and regional levels. This is reflected in the growing number of recorded cases of animal cruelty. Nonetheless, the offenders are rarely prosecuted, and even when they are, they seldom face severe penalties. Animal cruelty prosecutions are hindered by a delayed response from law enforcement agencies, as well as investigative failures and errors in collecting evidence.