Coahuila. A state with a serious problem of animal abuse.

It's an election year for Coahuila and Vanguardia News asked Alms Salinsa, animal activist and president of ADAC, what she would do if she was governor regarding animals. Vanguardia published her reply below.

In the last six years we have observed the number of incidents of animal abuse increase in Saltillo, the capital of the state. Inhabitants of Coahuila, Mexico, as well as those in the most remote municipalities are silent since they consider animals as things of no value, and without rights. Where barbarities are committed against animals that are supposedly protected species such as the black bear, in full sight of the authorities.

Dogs and cats are mutilated, burned, hanged, dismembered, sexually violated, and suffer countless other forms of grotesque murder. Not to mention the reports of animals living in deplorable situations by their owners who keep them severely malnourished, without water, living on roofs, tied up outdoors, and without physical contact. Forgetting that they have a responsibility to a living being.

Coahuila stood out at one time for being a pioneer state by enacting a law to protect animals. The Law for the Protection and Dignified Treatment of Animals for the State of Coahuila was published in the official gazette in 2013. Since then, it has been used as a banner for associations dedicated to animal rescue and by defenders of animal rights. Unfortunately, this law was not duly legislated criminally in order to apply the weight of the law to anyone who threatens the life of an animal. And it did not protect a fellow independent rescuer who saved two puppies and was sued. The prosecution went against her to the point of bringing her handcuffed before a judge.

Hundreds of complaints are filed with the state prosecutor's office for animal abuse and yet they increase the requirements for us to achieve justice for the death of an animal at the hands of a psychopath who in the not-too-distant future will become a danger to society. By punishing and arresting an individual who shows signs of highly dangerous violence, we could prevent a major crime. Seeing an animal suffer to death and enjoying how it cries and screams is not normal!

When will the authorities take the reins of a law that exists and enforce it? Why are they afraid of facing murderers and animal abusers? They cannot even fine offenders since there is no exclusive budget section for this type of collection. Why haven't they? Is it a lack of will?

Why do animal abuse cases continue to rise? Abusers are more and more bloodthirsty, without remorse, in the public light. What are we becoming? The indifference, the lack of action on the part of the population to arrest or denounce judicially is increasingly notorious. Observers only report on social networks or ask third parties to step in and take action. The prosecutor's office must provide this service to any citizen who feels offended by the violent death of an animal.

As long as the population does not see justice implemented by prosecuting cases of animal abuse until reaching a prison sentence, violent cases against animals will continue to increase. This will later lead to murders, rapes, and major crimes against the most vulnerable.

The governor should take what is happening in his state very seriously. We are reported in international news for many cases of abuse towards animals. What message are we sending to the world? That we are a population without values? That we are a primitive society without reason?

Click here to see the Vanguardia post.