In four regions of the Russian Federation they want to allow the murder of homeless animals

At least four Russian regions - in Buryatia, the Stavropol Territory, the Astrakhan and Magadan regions - may be adopted by laws that allow the murder of homeless animals. This is written by "Vedomosti" with reference to answers from 52 regional parliaments.

In July 2023, the regions received the right to decide what to do with homeless animals: to continue to implement the federal ATV program (capture - sterilization - vaccination - return) or approve their methods.

In September, the governor of the Magadan region, Sergei Nosov, introduced a bill to the local parliament, which spells out the killing of animals in "temporary maintenance points". The document does not specify in which cases will be carried out "euthanasia" - at the federal level it is allowed only with incurable diseases and intolerable suffering of the animal. According to the results of the discussion in the regional Duma, the bill was recommended to be finalized.

In the Stavropol Territory, a bill is being considered, which will allow to kill "unmotivated aggressive" homeless animals. As the aggressiveness of animals will be evaluated, the document is not specified. The expert association says that in practice, “unmotivated aggressive” reckoning dogs that bit or scratched a person, as well as if they “just bark loudly”.

The Duma of the Astrakhan region said that they are considering proposals for treating homeless animals, "including their euthanasia." In February 2022, it was this parliament that turned to the federal government with a request to allow the murder of dogs that "show unmotivated aggression and are dangerous to human life and health", throughout the country. Then his appeal was supported by 27 regions - which ones were not specified in the Astrakhan Duma.

The authorities of Buryatia stated that they would allow to kill homeless animals, in July - even before the entry into force of amendments allowing to do this.

The murder of homeless animals is contrary to the spirit of the Federal Law on Responsibility of Animals, some experts say. Among other things, the document enshrines the attitude to animals as "to creatures that can experience emotions and physical suffering" and prescribes "the education of a moral and humane relationship among the population."

At least 38 regions are not going to allow murder of homeless animals, they write Vedomosti. In 14 of them they plan to adopt laws on the mandatory registration of animals or on fines for non -compliance with the rules of their walking. The parliaments of the Murmansk and Kostroma regions reported that in their regions, the APVV program works: the number of bites has decreased.

• Against the bill allowing the murder of homeless animals, zoo defenders, public and cultural figures actively opposed. In dozens of cities of Russia, protests were held, in Moscow protesters gathered several times near the building of the presidential administration. More than 136 thousand people signed a petition against the law.