Veterinarians in Spain strike over restrictions on antibiotics

Veterinarians across Spain walked off the job on March 26 to protest a new national law that limits their use of antibiotics, in a sign that global efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance — while broadly supported by the veterinary community — can face pushback if considered overly restrictive.

The two-hour demonstration comes at an already challenging time for Spain's veterinary profession, which is grappling with a separate animal welfare law that, among other things, appears to prohibit practitioners from euthanizing animals when owners can't afford treatment.

This story was published on March 24, 2025.