For the last ten years, Brazil’s relationship with pets has changed dramatically. Dogs and cats are no longer viewed as animals simply sharing a home with their owners. For millions of Brazilians, they have become members of the family. That shift has prompted the country to rethink how animals are treated under the law, covering issues ranging from welfare and abuse to determining who keeps a pet after a relationship ends.
On March 31, 2026, Brazil passed a law allowing separated couples to pursue joint custody of their pets. Courts had been handling an increasing number of disputes between former partners over dogs and cats, prompting lawmakers to introduce new legal protections. The reasoning was straightforward: pets had become emotionally significant family members, particularly as more couples chose to have fewer children. The numbers reflect that trend. Brazil is now home to significantly more pets than children.
According to Instituto Pet Brasil, the country of approximately 213 million people has around 160 million pets, with dogs making up the largest share. By comparison, UNICEF estimates there are about 51 million children under the age of 18. The new 2026 legislation also builds on a landmark 2018 ruling by Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice, which determined that pets should not be treated simply as property and instructed judges to consider the emotional bond between animals and their owners when deciding custody disputes.
Brazil also introduced significant new protections for dogs and cats during 2025 and early 2026, marking another major step forward in animal welfare. During National Animals’ Week in March 2026, officials in Brasília announced a broad package of reforms designed to strengthen protections for animals across the country. The measures, introduced during an event organized by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, include tougher penalties for animal cruelty, improved emergency planning for animals affected by natural disasters, and increased funding for pet identification and sterilization programs. The reforms also establish a National Conference on Animal Rights and Welfare Policy through 2030, bringing together government agencies, veterinarians, animal welfare organizations, and advocacy groups to develop long-term strategies for protecting animals nationwide.
Taken together, these reforms move Brazil closer to recognizing animals as living beings capable of forming emotional bonds rather than simply treating them as property. Supporters say the new laws place Brazil alongside countries that are strengthening animal welfare protections and reflect growing public demand for better treatment of pets, stronger legal safeguards, and greater efforts to prevent cruelty and abandonment.
