They ask humanly

The zoo defenders hold a hunger strike at the walls of the Duma for the second week, demanding from the deputies to consider the law on the protection of animals

The eleventh day near the State Duma building is chairs, bags and backpacks. Due to the rain, all things are covered with transparent adhesives and multi-colored packages. Two people sit around the clock here under umbrellas. These are the zoo defenders Vera Stepanov and Yuri Koretsky, who declared an unlimited hunger strike with the request of the adoption of the Law “On Responsible Management of Animals”. Yuri is the chairman of the “Animal Defenders Alliance”, Vera is one of the activists. For many years they have been fighting for the adoption of the law "On responsible treatment of animals."

Recall that the Law on the protection of animals, the State Duma is trying to adopt since the 2000th year-but everyone has been more important. Then, in 2000, the law was recognized as unfinished, it had internal contradictions, and Vladimir Putin put a veto on him. In 2008, the bill was withdrawn from the consideration of the State Duma, because the deputies considered that the current legislation already provides sufficient protection of animals. Three years later, the bill was nevertheless adopted in the first reading, but it regulated the appeal only with animal companies. Nothing was said about wild and laboratory animals, but meanwhile, it is they who often become objects of human cruelty.

From 2013 to 2015, the work on amendments was headed by Maxim Shincarkin, a member of the State Duma Committee on Ecology and Nature Management, and Deputy of the LDPR. However, after his dismissal in April 2015, work on the bill stopped. After a year and a half, after numerous scandals about animal bullying, Vladimir Putin already raised a painful topic at a meeting of the Council on Strategic Communications and Priority Projects. The President said that the lack of an animal protection law "in some flagrant cases is poured into a brutal attitude." Deputies planned to adopt a bill in the spring session of 2017, but due to shortcomings it had to be postponed for autumn. But even now, the law, apparently, will not be adopted.

The starving zoo defenders explain their motives: “In July, they promised in every possible way that it would be accepted in the fall. There was even a planned date. Here 2 months passed, we watched the schedule of the work of the Duma and realized that they were trying to deceive us. ” Yuri and Vera hope that he will help the adoption of the law: "If we had not counted on the result, then we would not have started."

On November 17, Sergei Mironov, the head of the Just Russia faction in the State Duma, wrote on his VKontakte page in connection with the action of the defenders: “People who are now starving at the State Duma are put up primarily by this requirement: so that we finally proceed to the second reading of this long-suffering bill. The government cannot decide, let him sleep further! And we need to meet the wishes of tens of millions of people and protect our smaller brothers! ”

Vera and Yuri thoroughly prepared for their unlimited hunger strike. They sit in warm pants and jackets, in woolen socks, on the faith-a pink raincoat, and on Yuri-a hat-ear. He has a bottle of water on his knees. They sleep here, wrapped in jackets and sleeping bags. They communicate with journalists, but the forces have already diminished. Yesterday Vera became bad - she tolerates the cold. Yuri is still holding, but his voice is very weak. Next to them around the clock is a support group. From time to time, some approach Vera and Yuri, ask if everything is fine, whether to bring something, help something. Someone tried to convey the open water bottles with Noshpa and lactose dissolved in it. But Vera and Yuri believe that this is a violation of a hunger strike, and open bottles do not take.

In social networks, Vera and Yuri actively place posts about the progress of their hunger strike. “They connected from all over Russia. They write messages to me, really from Vladivostok to Kaliningrad, ”says Yuri.

From time to time, Vera, Yuri or one of the activists get up with posters, but only alone and far from the so-called “camp”-so that they would not be demolished.

On November 10, Yuri and two more sympathizers were detained near the State Duma building, they were delivered to the Tver police department, released on the same day. Shortly before the detention, deputy Vladimir Burmatov, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Ecology and Environmental Protection, came out to the activists. On his VKontakte page, Yuri said: “We are not satisfied with negotiations, our requirements are not fulfilled, the hunger strike continues.”

Last week, Igor Talkov Jr. came to the starving, performed his father's songs. He, together with another musician, whose name was unknown, was also detained and delivered to the police department of the Tver district - for a preventive conversation.

Among those who came to the State Duma to support the zoo defenders - Anastasia Muscovite. In her arms, the Yorkshire Terrier Archie sits in her arms, dressed in the insulated overalls with a fur hood. On his neck there is a bright sign on which it is written “Vera and Yura are my heroes!”. He considers the zoo defenders heroes, “because they are fighting for his rights,” the hostess explains. The perpetual hunger strike, according to her, is a radical method of influence on deputies: "Most likely, this is just the last desperate step of people who cannot reach the leadership of the country."

Vera and Yuri also came to support Margo. She is a blogger, writes about cosmetics that is tested on animals. This is not the first time the State Duma has been the first time - yesterday he and friends spent almost the whole day here: “We are practically the only country that has nothing to protect animals. What else to do? We were promised in the spring, in the fall, now they promise later, ”Margo is indignant.

Lyudmila brought with her transparent adhesives for faith and Yuri, so that their things would not get wet in the incessant rain. She told me that a dog had disappeared a month ago. She searched for her for a long time, and once accidentally stumbled upon the territory of the GBU “Housing”, fenced by a fence. There, most likely, in the aviary, dogs barked. Lyudmila asked the guards whether it was possible to see who they have there - maybe her dog accidentally wandered into the territory. “No, there are our dogs, there are our cats, we feed them, we walk them,” they answered her. “I believed that there are their dogs. After some time, going to work is silence. There are no dogs, ”says Lyudmila. “Where did they go?”

Maria Efimova , for "New"