Law No. 12.811 establishing the State Policy on the Ethical Management, Population Control and Protection of Community Animals in public and private spaces for collective use within the state of Rio Grande do Norte (known as the Lucy Law).

This Law establishes the State Policy for Ethical Management, Population Control and Protection of Community Animals in the State of Rio Grande do Norte. Its main objective is to ensure the welfare of community animals, particularly dogs and cats living in public spaces and private collective-use areas, while also protecting public health, maintaining environmental balance and promoting harmonious coexistence between people and animals. The law recognises community animals as part of the urban fauna and promotes ethical, science-based management practices that prohibit cruelty, abuse, abandonment, arbitrary removal and extermination. The legislation establishes a framework based on ethical population control measures, prioritising capture, sterilisation, vaccination, identification and return of animals to their original territories. It protects community animals from forced removal except in strictly defined circumstances involving veterinary treatment or demonstrable public-health risks supported by technical evidence. The law also recognises the role of volunteer caregivers and community protectors, prohibits discriminatory actions against them, and imposes sanctions for non-compliance.