Justice overturns RS city law that considered having more than five pets at home as mistreatment

Court of Justice of Rio Grande do Sul (TJRS) Carlos Edler/ Agencia RBS The Special Body of the Court of Justice of Rio Grande do Sul (TJRS) declared unconstitutional part of a law in Tuparendi, in the northwest of the state, which considered having more than five dogs and/or cats older than 90 days in urban residences as mistreatment. The decision was unanimous and reached the sole paragraph of article 196-C of the municipality's Code of Postures, included by Complementary Law No. 13, of August 19, 2025. According to the collegiate, the rule violated the principles of reasonableness and proportionality by imposing a generic limitation, without considering the circumstances of each case. ? Access the g1 RS channel on WhatsApp For judges, defining mistreatment solely by the number of animals disregards factors such as physical space, hygiene and care offered. The court also highlighted that the measure could encourage the abandonment of animals already integrated into the family environment. In the Special Body's assessment, this effect goes against the very objective of animal protection claimed by the municipal legislator.