Overview
- The law entered into force on Monday, June 8, 2026, after publication in the Diário Oficial da União following presidential sanction on June 3.
- It amends Article 282 of the Penal Code to treat unauthorized veterinary practice as a crime, aligning veterinarians with other health professions already protected by that article.
- Penalties include detention of six months to two years and possible fines when the illegal practice is for profit.
- The statute adds aggravated criminal exposure when illegal veterinary conduct causes serious bodily harm or death to people and holds offenders liable under animal-cruelty rules if animals are injured or killed.
- The measure—originating in a 2014 proposal and approved by the Senate in May 2026 with a favorable report from Senator Sergio Moro—aims to strengthen public health, food-safety and animal-welfare protections and could prompt increased prosecutions and oversight of inspections and zoonosis control.