Press Release, 31.08.2017

YABLOKO Chair Emilia Slabunova has forwarded to the State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin and Federation Council Chair Valentina Matvienko amendments to the bill “On Responsible Treatment of Animals” developed in cooperation with the leading Russian animal protection and professional organisations. It is expected that the third reading of the bill will be held in the State Duma this fall.

The amendments were formulated in the resolution of the round table on the discussion of the draft law held in YABLOKO in July. The resolution was signed by such experts as Sergei Sereda, President of the Association of Practicing Veterinarians, Irina Shvets, representative of the Russian Cynological Federation, Natalia Fomina, President of the Felinological Association, Svetlana Zibert, Co-Chair of the human rights movement “Be a Human!” and others.

The amendments envisage creation of a state zoo-protective service, i.e.an animal protection police, which will ensure the implementation of the law; adoption of a nation-wide awareness programme that should involve social advertising about responsible treatment of animals.

Experts also consider it necessary plan and construct walking zones for domestic animals, especially sports and training grounds for dogs at the stage of designing the construction of new housing.

Cruel methods of killing animals, including those in the production of agricultural products, should be prohibited. Use of laboratory animals should be prohibited if there are alternative methods of research. Laboratory use of animals with highly organised nervous system – dogs, cats, primates, marine mammals – should be reduced to minimum.

Expert community also proposes banning of begging with the use of animals, mobile zoos, use of wild animals for the production of photo and video products outside their places of detention, etc.

In addition, if cases of cruel treatment of animals are identified, animal rights activists propose to provide for a mechanism for seizure of animals on the decision of an authorised body, as well as envisage norms for termination of ownership of animals.

Breeding and trade in domestic and wild animals require special attention. The scale of animal breeding for trade has long exceeded the demand for such animals, this leads to the emergence of a large number of homeless animals.

При этом регулирование деятельности заводчиков не должно быть излишним, подчеркивают эксперты. Его цель — поддержка отечественной кинологии, фелинологии и иной профессиональной деятельности по разведению животных-компаньонов.

However, experts also stress, that regulation of the activities of breeders should not be excessive. Its goal is to support domestic cynology, felinology and other professional activities for breeding companion animals.

Experts propose to develop Rules for Breeding and Selling Domestic and Wild Animals. Administrative responsibility should be established for violation of such rules.

“For and on behalf of the participants of the round table – representatives of animal protection, breeding professionals, veterinarians and public figures, I am asking you to take into consideration and take into account the amendments to the draft law “On Responsible Treatment of Animals” set forth in the text of the Resolution,” runs the address of the YABLOKO Chair to the speakers of the upper and lower chambers of the parliament.

Consideration of the bill “On Responsible Treatment of Animals” in the third reading should take place in the State Duma this fall. Attempts to enact the law have been made since 2010, but each time they met resistance from various lobby groups. For example, lobbyists tried to include into the test of the bill the list of “dangerous breeds of dogs” (such breeds, according to the testimony of a professional cynological community, do not exist), or transfer the rights to spend the funds allocated to regulating the livestock of homeless animals to the discretion of local authorities, although these funds are often used for other purposes or are being pilfered.