Female Violence Court in Las Palmas Applies Gender Perspective to Animal Abuse Case
Court Decision
The Women’s Violence Court No. 2 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has sentenced a local resident to 12 months and one day in prison. This ruling comes after the individual threw their four-month-old podenco dog off a coastal cliff in front of their partner on 13 September, resulting in the animal’s death.
Innovative Application of Gender Perspective
This verdict is notable as it applies a gender perspective to assume jurisdiction over a crime that typically would not fall under the remit of Women’s Violence Courts—specifically, the animal abuse offence outlined in Article 340 bis 3 of the Penal Code. It simultaneously connects this with psychological abuse against the partner as defined in Article 153.1 of the same legal text.
Judge Auxiliadora Díaz emphasised, “Here, the death of the animal was the chosen instrument to cause psychological harm (…). This is not merely a factual coincidence, but a specific intention: to kill the animal to psychologically break the woman.”
Details of the Incident
The ruling outlines that on 13 September, the accused called their partner, saying, “I’m going to kill the dog, and then I’ll kill myself,” in reference to the shared podenco. Subsequently, the accused went to the Paseo de las Canteras leading to the Rincón road, where the partner arrived, hoping to retrieve the pet.
Once there, the accused warned the woman, “Don’t come any closer or I’ll throw the dog and kill myself.”
Psychological Impact
The judgement continues, “with the intent to undermine the psychological integrity of their partner, [the accused] threw the dog off a cliff, causing it to strike the stairs, which resulted in its death.”
As a result of these events, the woman experienced psychological distress that required initial medical assistance, with an estimated recovery time of 90 days.
Gender-Based Violence Context
The application of a gender perspective, the ruling explains, “means recognising that we are dealing with a case of vicarious violence against a companion animal, aimed at perpetuating dominance and control over the woman, thereby reinforcing the need for an aggravated punitive response and effective protective measures.”
By classifying both the animal abuse and the psychological harm to the woman, the judicial authority ensures protective measures for the victim. In addition to the prison sentence—suspended due to the accused lacking prior convictions and the term being under two years—the ruling prohibits the accused from approaching or communicating with the complainant by any means for two years and one day.
Final Verdict
The sentence is definitive since the accused accepted the facts as presented by the prosecutor and agreed to the penalty. The expedited trial took place on Monday, 22 September.
