Punta Arenas, Costa Rica, Jan 24, 2008 / 16:04 pm
Bishop Bernardo Bastres of Punta Arenas, Chile complained this week that dogs have more legal protection than the rights of human beings.
His statements came as the city of Punta Arenas is dealing with a plague of street dogs that have become a potential health problem. City officials have been hesitant to address the problem, worried that their actions might be considered “insensitive” to animals.
“Right now a dog has more rights than a person,” Bishop Bastres said. He criticized the government for legalizing the morning-after pill and for taking other anti-life measures while refusing to do something to address the plague of street dogs.
“This is inconsistent, since issues that are related to the lives of people deserve to be supported and discussed in Congress, because they have to do with the regulation of births in the country, and not with the rights of animals,” he added.