Chira is a dog who was adopted in Peru by Fernando Ruelas and his girlfriend who lived in an apartment on a 16th floor in Lima where later it was not allowed to have pets.
The owners not only had Chira but also a cat and the building administration allowed them to stay since the new rules came after they already were living there. However, they began to receive fines for allowing the dog, who had lumbar and vision problems, use the elevator.
A medical evaluation of the dog was presented to the neighborhood board at a meeting on March 22, 2016. The objective was to appeal the fine of S / 30 owed for each use of the elevator. The order was rejected, El Comercio wrote.
The complaint went viral on social media and backed with this support, Ruelas found a lawyer willing to help him fight the case. With documents in hand, the then president of the Animal Rights Study Commission of the Lima Bar Association filed the lawsuit on May 4, 2016.
“The First Specialized Court of Lima, however, declared the claim inadmissible since the deadline for its presentation had expired. They appealed, but the Fourth Civil Chamber of Lima ratified the sentence”, El Comercio explained.
Finally, in December 2018 they went to the hearing and a few days ago the sentence came out: the court ruled in favor of Chira and ordered the board of owners of the building to annul any sanction brought to the plaintiff. “This result is favorable for all families in Peru who love animals,” said Ruelas.
He hopes that, with the ruling, families – especially those living in apartments – will be encouraged to adopt animals and may experience that special bond.
Cover Photo Pxhere.
