The legal status of bestiality in Spain is governed by recent amendments to the Penal Code, which were approved by the Congress of Deputies in February 2023 and are subject to approval by the Senate.

The legal status of bestiality in Spain is governed by recent amendments to the Penal Code, which were approved by the Congress of Deputies in February 2023 and are subject to approval by the Senate

Under the new law, bestiality is not criminalized unless it results in injuries to the animal that require veterinary treatment.

This change replaced the previous Article 337 of the Penal Code, which had criminalized sexual exploitation of animals, with Article 340 bis, which only penalizes acts of a sexual nature that cause such injuries.

Critics argue that this amendment effectively decriminalizes bestiality as long as no physical harm occurs, while supporters and legal experts maintain that the law strengthens animal protection by focusing on harm rather than intent.

The law also extends penalties to include any vertebrate animal, not just domesticated ones, increasing the maximum prison sentence for injuring such animals to 24 months.

Despite claims circulating online and in some media outlets that Spain has legalized bestiality, fact-checking organizations and official sources confirm that the law does not legalize the act but rather redefines the conditions under which it is punishable.

The legislation remains pending final approval by the Senate as of October 2025.