Animal justice

Historic Legal
Victories

Precedents that changed the history of animal law in Mendoza. First effective convictions. Equines recognized as sentient beings and subjects of law.

The Mendoza Horse Protection Association (PEMPA) has been actively involved in some of the most important animal law precedents in the Province of Mendoza. Through the coordinated work between our NGO and our legal representative, specialized prosecutor's offices, security forces, veterinary professionals and judicial operators, a historic line of case law was consolidated that began to recognize non-human animals as sentient beings and holders of effective legal protection.

Brisa and Frutilla
Case 01

Brisa and Frutilla

Collegiate Criminal Court No. 2 · Judge Patricia Alonso · 2025

In March 2025, a historic conviction for animal cruelty was handed down against the person responsible for keeping two young mares in extreme conditions of abandonment and malnutrition. Brisa and Frutilla had been rescued by PEMPA in June 2024, showing severe emaciation, anemia, fractures and complete lack of health care.

Outcomes
  • Six months of suspended prison sentence.
  • Ten-year special ban on owning equines.
  • Definitive forfeiture of both mares in favor of PEMPA.
  • Judicial recognition of PEMPA's institutional role as a qualified organization for the permanent protection and recovery of victim equines.
  • First precedents in Mendoza where the concepts of "sentient beings" and "non-human persons" are expressly used for animal victims.
  • Practical consolidation of effective judicial protection for rescued animals.
Patroclo and Aragón
Case 02

Patroclo and Aragón

Collegiate Criminal Court No. 2 · Judge Erica Sánchez · 2025

In July 2025, the Mendoza Justice system issued a historic and unprecedented ruling in Argentine animal law. The horses Patroclo and Aragón were rescued after suffering extreme cruelty as victims of forced-labor exploitation. Patroclo collapsed while dragging over 1,000 kg of bricks, and Aragón showed severe malnutrition and physical deterioration.

Outcomes
  • First effective conviction for animal cruelty in Mendoza.
  • Four months of actual prison time.
  • Ten-year special ban on owning, trading, transporting or handling equines.
  • Definitive forfeiture and permanent transfer to PEMPA.
  • Express declaration of Patroclo and Aragón as "sentient beings and subjects of law" — the first equines in Mendoza with this legal status.
  • Judicial recognition of the animals as direct victims of the crime.
  • Incorporation of a non-anthropocentric perspective into animal law.
Legal significance

The ruling marked a paradigm shift in Mendoza. For the first time, a provincial court expressly held that the legal interest protected by Law 14.346 is the non-human animal itself, not merely human sensitivity. The reasoning drew on international regulations, the Cambridge Declaration, national case law, and the need for legislative reform to move beyond the notion of animals as "things".

Zaino Cortés
Case 03

Zaino Cortés

Collegiate Criminal Court No. 2 · Judge Patricia Alonso · 2025

In September 2025, the line of case law started with Patroclo and Aragón was consolidated. The horse known as Zaino Cortés was judicially recognized as a sentient being and subject of law within the framework of a suspended judgment.

Outcomes
  • Judicial recognition of the equine victim as a "sentient being and subject of law" — the third such recognition in the province.
  • Definitive custody of Zaino Cortés granted to PEMPA.
  • Jurisprudential consolidation of animal legal protection in Mendoza.
  • Judicial development of criteria related to the best interests of the rescued animal.
Legal significance

The ruling deepened the criteria established in Patroclo and Aragón, and reaffirmed the need to legally protect non-human animals as autonomous victims. The court prioritized the protection of the horse over any logic of ownership or restitution.

Ceniza
Case 04

Ceniza

Collegiate Criminal Court No. 1 · Judge Diego Lusverti · 2026

In March 2026, the second effective conviction for equine cruelty in Mendoza was handed down. Ceniza had been rescued in extreme conditions of abandonment, severe malnutrition, multiple injuries, and without mandatory vaccinations.

Outcomes
  • Effective prison sentence of 3 months and 19 days.
  • Declaration of recidivism.
  • Special ban on the ownership, transport and handling of equines.
  • Definitive custody of Ceniza granted to PEMPA.
  • Joint application of animal cruelty laws and animal health regulations.
  • Recognition of the impact of animal cruelty on public health.
Yuma, Barbucha, Bigotes, Tornadito, Indio and Carmela
Case 05

Yuma, Barbucha, Bigotes,
Tornadito, Indio and Carmela

Collegiate Criminal Court No. 2 · Judge Gabriel Bragañolo · 2026

In April 2026, the Mendoza Justice system handed down a historic conviction for animal cruelty against dogs who were victims of extreme violence. The animals were rescued from a home in Las Heras following raids and neighbor complaints.

Outcomes
  • First effective conviction in Mendoza for cruelty against dogs.
  • Judicial recognition of the dog victims as sentient beings.
  • Effective prison sentence and declaration of recidivism.
  • Definitive forfeiture and permanent custody granted to PEMPA.
  • Recognition of animal welfare as the central pillar of legal protection.
Legal significance

The court expressly held that the legal interest protected by Law 14.346 is not human sensitivity, but the rights of non-human animals. The ruling was covered nationwide and is considered one of the most relevant precedents in animal law in Argentina.

Case 06

Clandestine equine slaughter
Valle de Uco

Collegiate Criminal Court No. 1 · Judge Teresa Di Bari · 2026

In April 2026, the Mendoza Justice system handed down a historic ruling on clandestine slaughter and illegal transport of approximately 900 kg of horse meat. The investigation uncovered a clandestine commercialization network dealing in horse meat with no health traceability.

Outcomes
  • Effective prison convictions.
  • Revocation of a previous suspended sentence and unification of the penalty into three years and four months of actual prison time.
  • Declaration of recidivism.
  • Five-year special ban on the trading, transport and slaughter of horse meat.
  • Recognition of the slaughtered animals as sentient beings.
  • Coordinated application of animal health and animal protection regulations.
Legal significance

The ruling was a historic step forward by extending the paradigm of sentient beings to animal victims slaughtered within clandestine networks. The judgment tied together animal law, public health, food traceability and health-enforcement concepts. The case demonstrated the coordinated work of prosecutor's offices, the Rural Police, food-safety officials, health agencies and PEMPA.

Who is behind these victories?

Jerónimo Allende

Criminal-law attorney and animal-rights activist in Mendoza. For over 10 years, he has dedicated his work to the rescue, care and protection of equines as co-founder, president and legal representative of PEMPA — work that deeply shaped his calling and his commitment to defending sentient beings.

His career combines fieldwork with legal action, developing innovative legal tools to protect animals suffering abuse, abandonment and violence. Through his involvement in landmark cases, Jerónimo became part of an unprecedented shift in the province of Mendoza: the legal representation of rescued equines recognized as sentient beings and subjects of law.

From PEMPA and through his professional work, Jerónimo continues to lead efforts in rescue, awareness and legal support, convinced that the law must evolve to protect those who cannot ask for help on their own.

His work represents the beginning of a transformative path for animal defense in Argentina, where justice is starting to recognize animals as individuals with their own dignity and sensitivity.

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