Press Release, 17.03.2025

Photo by zastavkin/depositphotos

In late February, a bill “On Responsible Treatment of Animals” was introduced to the State Duma. It gives the right to the Russian regions to independently set the time limits for keeping homeless animals in shelters, after which cats and dogs will be euthanised. The State Duma will make the final decision on the bill based on the opinions of regional parliaments. Discussion of the bill has already begun in a number of regions. Back in 2023 Yabloko called to refrain from violence in society by legalising the killing of animals, now Yabloko appeals to regional deputies with a request to give a negative review of the bill.

In St. Petersburg, the Yabloko faction in the city parliament sent a negative review to the committee on legislation on the federal initiative allowing for the killing of non-dangerous homeless animals.

According to Yabloko, this approach is inhumane and, moreover, contradicts the position of the Constitutional Court, which determined that “the killing of animals may be carried out if a specific animal, without an owner, has attacked a person or shows unmotivated aggression or is a carrier of a dangerous disease or is sick with it, as well as in cases where it is necessary to stop the unbearable physical suffering of a non-viable animal.”

“We believe that comprehensive measures are needed to solve real problems associated with homeless animals and, in particular, with protecting people from attacks by homeless dogs. At the same time, such measures must comply with humanistic principles, and also take into account previously adopted decisions of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation,” the St. Petersburg Yabloko said about the draft law.

The Omsk regional branch of Yabloko sent appeals to the leaders of the factions of the Legislative Assembly of the Omsk Region with a request to give a negative review of the draft law.

“In Russia, the adoption of a law on animal euthanasia may have serious consequences for both animals and society as a whole. Animal euthanasia should be considered an extreme measure. The destruction of life, even for humanitarian purposes, threatens the moral and ethical foundations of our society,” the Omsk Yabloko party noted in its appeal.

It should be noted that earlier, Omsk Yabloko, together with human rights activists, discussed with First Deputy Governor Dmitry Ushakov the problems of implementing the Catch-Sterilise-Vaccinate-Release programme, as well as the need to facilitate the work of charitable foundations and private shelters. Then, the Chair of Omsk Yabloko, Tatyana Schneider, noted that the Deputy Governor was attentive to the proposals voiced.

In the Legislative Assembly of Karelia, the Yabloko faction spoke out against supporting amendments to the federal law on the euthanasia of stray animals at a preliminary working meeting with animal rights activists and at a meeting of the relevant committee. Deputies Emilia Slabunova and Inna Boluchevskaya proposed to put the bill to a separate vote at a plenary session of the Legislative Assembly. The Committee considered it sufficient to leave the bill in the status of “accepted for information”, and a vote on it will not be held.

Yabloko in Tatarstan appealed to the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan with a call not to support the bill allowing euthanasia of homeless animals after the maximum period of keeping them in shelters.

“Animals, like people, have the right to life,” activists of the Tatarstan Yabloko say.

Yabloko will continue to work on humanising the treatment of animals.