Benessere animale e diritti degli animali non umani in Ecuador

This chapter examines the evolving legal status of non-human animals in Ecuador, with a particular focus on constitutional developments. The 2008 Constitution of Ecuador is based on two key principles: animal welfarism and socio-biocentrism. The former promotes animal welfare in relation to human use, while the latter emphasises harmony with nature and grants certain rights to non-human animals as part of the ecosystem. Although Ecuador has taken pioneering steps, there are still gaps in its fragmented legal framework. Future reforms and a stronger ethical stance towards animals could help to align the law with evolving perspectives on sentience and animal welfare.