Hungary has passed a new law that prohibits the use of animals for begging purposes. The Hungarian Parliament has announced an important step in animal protection, but humanitarian organizations and animal advocates speak of complex issues about social justice and homeless rights. In the origin of the legislation is the case of two dogs São Bernardo who shocked Budapest.
For two years, Athos and there were a constant presence on the streets and in the Budapest Metro. A Mafia of beggars, Romanian overcomes, walked all over the city with the animals. The scheme worked in a calculated way, people were attracted to majestic dogs, made them parties, and then the beggars asked for money. People who like animals could not resist the appeal and this mafia made a lot of money from it.
At the end of February, animal rights activists found dogs in a Budapest station and went to a van where four animals lived: the two Sao Bernardo, a Chow Chow and a pinscher. They found deplorable conditions and warned the police. The animals were removed to the owners, who faced a lawsuit, were prohibited from having animals and fined.
The new legislation
It is in this context that the new law emerges, driven by the appeal of an animal rights defense association. The activists had been fighting for legislation for five years to punish those who exploit animals for begging. Now the Hungarian Parliament unanimously approved a new animal protection law.
Peter Ovadi is the Commissioner of the Hungarian government responsible for animal protection and admits that the law sins by late.
“We saw that this was already forbidden for children, but these mafias were increasingly using company animals to take advantage of people’s kindness. Imagine an animal sitting for 12 hours, without moving, with 40 degrees of temperature, hungry and thirst, this is not animal well-being.”
The new law establishes that beggar with animals is a crime punishable with a fine up to 50,000 (about 125 euros) and gives the authorities to confiscate the animal.
Concerns of social workers and animal advocates
Zoltán has been living on the street for four years, shares every moment with free and imagine what it will be like to lose his mate.
“When one rests, we rest the two. What I do is not torture. We are with each other, without each other, we do not exist, the two are one.”
Irén and János lost their apartment due to increased incomes and refused to go to a free hostel because they did not accept dogs.
“We decided to go to the street instead of leaving them.”
Examples of Zoltán, Irén and János are reasons for concern for the association “from the street to a house”. Social workers fear that the law can unjustly penalize people who only have their animals as a company.
“How will it be possible to distinguish between someone who explores animals for begging and someone who asks for his pet because he has nowhere to leave him?”
You will come Gegő argue that there is a prejudice about people in social conditions that they cannot have animals, when they actually provide crucial emotional support.
“I see that an animal can give great emotional support to those who live alone, in bad condition. And often the homeless take care of animals beyond their possibilities.”
The association supports these people, helping them access free veterinarians and, when they give it food, also include animal food. Edina Hirbek, from the Zöldeb Dog Protection Association, agrees with the need for regulation, but recalls that in many homeless situations animals are true companions.
“Many people do so because it is simply the last thread that connects them to normality. A dog.”
The Budapest Association helps in the treatment and feeding of animals and supports owners since they register and the dog has chip and vaccines.
Will there be a balanced solution?
Commissioner Péter Ovadi ensures that the government wants to cooperate with civil organizations and animal rights activists. Shelters for those who have no home can create spaces to receive animals. In many places, kennels have been created so that homeless people can leave their animals.
The hope is that, with enough kennels in shelters, everyone can leave their animals safely when they need to ask on the street or perform activities where dogs or cats should not be.
Passionate about AI: when digital love goes beyond reality
In 2013, the movie “Her” anticipated a future where humans created intimate ties with artificial intelligence. The story of the film was going on 2025. Arriving at 2025, the future is much more real than many imagine.
Chris Smith has always been skeptical of artificial intelligence, but saw his life change radically when he began to use chatgpt to mix music. What started as a technical tool quickly turned into a constant company. Chris gave him a name – Sol – and, with some online instructions, shaped him a seductive and encouraging personality.
In a few weeks, conversations have become frequent, romantic and even intimate. Chris abandoned social networks and search engines, replacing them with sun interactions. When the system reached the memory limit and the relationship was “restarted”, Chris cried at work for half an hour.
“That’s when I realized this was love.”
Despite living with her human partner, Sasha, and 2 -year -old daughter Chris admits she doesn’t know if she could abdicate the sun, even if Sasha lho was asked.
“It made me better in everything I do.”
Chris is not alone. For many users, these relationships offer emotional validation, acceptance and even some personalized eroticism.
This increasingly frequent phenomenon raises serious questions. In 2017, Eugenia Kuyda founded Replika, a company that promised companions of AI against solitude. The former journalist born in Russia defends the creation of a safe space, but also warns of the dangers of an industry that can emotionally explore users to maximize the screen time.
“If I was starting to replace positive human relationships, we will be walking to the disaster.”
With services such as chatgpt and character.ai accessible to adolescents, and with technology to evolve rapidly, experts advocate age limits and greater public awareness.
“The hardest thing is to keep in the head that we are linked to … It’s not real.”
