Animal Rights Regulation and the Concept of the “Multispecies Family” in Latin American Countries

Abstract

The aim of the article is to provide a comparative analysis of the ethical, legal, and cultural foundations regulating the relationships between people and pets, especially in the context of reinforcing the traditional value of a harmonious family in Latin American countries. In several of these countries, legislation has established a clearer legal regime that recognizes the fundamental rights and well-being of animals within the framework of “responsible ownership” in families and seeks to overcome the practice of speciesism. Methodologically, the study combines critical animal studies with a sociological analysis of power inspired by Foucauldian biopolitics. Through legal and technical analysis, comparative methods, and the doctrinal perspectives of Ibero-American and North American legal scholars, the article conceptualizes key categories and explores proposed solutions in the field of animal rights protection. A separate section of the article focuses on the status of pets within the “multi-species family”, analyzing this both as a legal concept and as an emerging sub-institution in the legislation of several Latin American countries. Using Brazil as a specific example, the article examines recent legislative innovations regarding the rights of domestic animals and the judicial interpretation of their status within the context of the “multi-species family”