First, about the rules. Dogs of certain breeds are no longer allowed to be walked without muzzles. There are 13 breeds on the list. Without muzzles, they can only walk in closed areas that belong to their owners as private property. But there should still be a sign that there is a dangerous dog there.
Special conditions have also appeared for circuses, zoos, dolphinariums and all organizations that use animals in cultural and entertainment events. They need to acquire licenses by 2022. They will be issued by Rosselkhoznadzor; its right to do so began on January 1, 2021.
The Government of the Russian Federation has already approved the rules for keeping animals, without which it will be impossible to obtain and then maintain a license.
The list needs to be expanded
In Penza, on the Olympic Alley, where the main health path for citizens is laid, signs have appeared prohibiting walking dogs without muzzles. True, it is not indicated which breeds. One gets the feeling that the rule applies to all four-legged animals without exception.
Meanwhile, the law strictly defines the breeds that are subject to the ban. Although the list itself raises questions among experts.
“The list includes extremely rare breeds, which in general are practically non-existent in Russia, and some of the breeds generally amount to hundreds of specimens throughout the world. I think that this is a kind of compromise between the authorities, the demands of ordinary people and the canine community,” says dog handler from Penza Dmitry Pauk.
Responsibility for walking without a muzzle
The law provides for liability for walking a four-legged friend without the necessary equipment in the amount of 2,000 to 4,000 rubles. The amount of the administrative fine varies by region. In Moscow, according to Article 5.1, paragraph 3 of the Moscow Code of Administrative Offenses, punishment for walking dogs without a muzzle in stores, playgrounds, beaches, in transport, near kindergartens, schools, hospitals, clinics and other institutions involved in working with minors, provides for a fine of 1,000 to 2,000 rubles.
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She's kind to me!
In the “Kamennye Tentki” forest park, beloved by city residents, located near a residential area on the outskirts of Yekaterinburg, in the first days of January, it seemed like all the dogs from the nearest neighborhoods were walked. In fact, all the furry ones are on a leash so they don’t run away, but we didn’t see a single muzzled dog.
Stately mastiffs jumped through the snowdrifts - the owners tried to take them away from the people's path. But these breeds are not included in the list. But a huge shepherd dog without a muzzle sat on a leash near the bench, where the owners continued to celebrate the New Year with alcohol. And, of course, no one dared to ask why the dog was not muzzled.
“Buyers of our puppies are never interested in how to choose a comfortable muzzle for their dog. The main question is how to properly raise a dog so that it does not have aggression,” Vladimir Plotnikov, owner of the Caucasian Shepherd Dog kennel (they are included in the list), told RG. “Of course, I follow the law and have muzzles for my students.” But all dog breeders have a very complex attitude towards muzzles; this item still irritates the dog. But Caucasians, although big, are friendly. These are nanny dogs.”
The canine specialist believes: if a dog is aggressive, then this is more a question for the owner, not for her. Maybe so. But it’s the dog that bites, not the owner.
However, a local pet store of a well-known chain said that there was no demand for muzzles before or after the holidays. Despite the fact that the goods are hanging in front of the cash register, dog owners are not interested in them. “Maybe they don’t know the law?” suggested the seller.
Is it possible to walk a dog without a leash?
Walking dogs not included in the list of dangerous dogs without a leash is possible in specially designated areas. They are fenced and animals roaming freely in a certain area do not disturb other citizens. We recommend reading: “Dog walking area: requirements, organization.”
A leash is required in the following cases:
- staying in crowded places;
- crossing the road or driving on the sidewalk.
In other cases, a leash is not required if the dog is not included in the list of dangerous breeds.
Many people also wonder whether it is possible to walk a dog without a leash in the forest. In this case, the walk is carried out in places remote from residential, commercial buildings and municipal institutions, so the dog can be walked without a muzzle and without a leash, but only if it is not on the list of potentially dangerous.
Here, you additionally need to take into account the danger for the animal itself, which can be poisoned by inedible fruits and mushrooms. Therefore, limiting chewing functions in the forest will be useful not only for possible passers-by, but also for the dog himself.
For dogs of dangerous breeds, walking without a muzzle and a leash is possible only in one case - if they are on the private property of their owner. But even in this case, there is a requirement for the owner - he is obliged to install a sign notifying about the presence of a potentially dangerous pet.
It's time to fine
In Vladivostok, owners of dogs without muzzles insisted that they knew nothing about the law or “had heard something.” But they are in no hurry to put muzzles on their pets.
The arguments are the same as in other regions: “the dog is a learned dog, it won’t just rush in,” “it’s uncomfortable to wear a muzzle,” “it’s peaceful.”
Now, if they start fining people, then in principle the owners are ready to start walking their dogs in muzzles. Is it time to fine?
By the way, one of the articles that came into force on January 1 stipulates supervision of the treatment of animals (its rules will be developed by the Russian government). The responsibility of the owners is also provided for - both administrative and criminal, but this is already decided by special “authorized bodies”.
Plus, public control is introduced. Anyone can try to become a public instructor. Anyone who goes through the necessary procedures will receive a certificate and the right to signal the authorities about a violation of the law. And what is especially important is that regional and municipal authorities must consider these signals. By the way, public inspectors can take photos and videos.
Legislative changes on keeping and walking pets
According to the rules that came into force on January 1, 2021, the owner is obliged to:
- Do not walk certain breeds of dogs without a muzzle.
- Fasten a leash on the animal when crossing the roadway, near sports and children's playgrounds, moving in an elevator, entrance and in the yard.
- Walk your pet only in places specially designated for this by the municipality.
- Remove waste products left by the dog on the street.
- Walk no more than two pets at once.
- Register the animal in accordance with the law. Attach a special tag to the collar containing the necessary information and allowing you to identify the owner.
- When walking with your dog, be sober and adequately control its behavior. For example, fasten a leash if such a need arises.
Some restrictions apply to the age of persons who can walk a pet. This is not regulated at the federal level, but Moscow legislation prohibits children under 14 years of age from taking dangerous breeds or large (over 15 kg) dogs outside alone. On such walks there must be an adult nearby.
If you take a walk, take it away. But where?
As usual, you still have to get used to the new rules. And this will happen the faster the more fundamental control over their compliance is.
But many already understand the need for such changes.
“The new law is very important for both animals and people,” Ulyanovsk resident Sergei, the owner of a luxurious Labrador, shared his opinion. — Because it protects the interests of everyone, it makes us more humane. Dog owners should also understand that the city does not belong only to them, which means they need to prevent aggression from their pets and clean up after them in the yard.”
The rules requiring cleaning up after your dog while walking and creating special areas in cities for walking four-legged friends were also supported by the owner of the Caucasian Shepherd Dog kennel Vladimir Plotnikov from Yekaterinburg. True, cleaning is not so simple. For this you need special bins. But this is a big problem in most Russian cities today.
And in Penza they even tried to improve the law. All dogs have been unofficially banned from walking in the areas of schools and kindergartens. True, the police cannot take action against violators, since there is no regulatory document. The city authorities took the initiative to the Legislative Assembly of the region to establish a fine for those polluting the territory. But they did not find support from legislators.
The zoo is closing
With the introduction of the new law, no significant changes are expected in the Khabarovsk circus. The situation is different in the Sverdlovsk region.
Khabarovsk Regional Circus is a rental organization. He does not have his own troupe, he organizes tours. Responsibility for circus animals lies with their owners - visiting performers.
And in the Sverdlovsk region, new requirements for zoos have already affected their number. For example, menageries in Serov and Kamensk-Uralsky were closed. Some of the animals were adopted by the Lesnaya Bratva contact zoo in Nizhny Tagil. It is still working - it is not in a shopping center, but in a separate room.
So “not subject to liquidation.” And large wild animals are not kept here. But the deputy director of the establishment, Anton Chernykh, complains about the strict requirements of the law. According to him, it is not easy to feed the ostrich, meerkats, arctic fox, kinkajou, paka, as well as pigs, chickens and goats. The ticket price is 200-250 rubles, it cannot be increased - and so no more than 15 visitors come daily.
But animals must be fed according to the rules! That's why the law was passed.
Changed the sign
Some petting zoos in Yekaterinburg prudently changed their sign: they became a regular “animal exhibition”. “Cuddles” with animals are no longer promised here.
Entrepreneurs are quickly looking for new formats of work, and as a result, “truncated” versions of menageries like the “House of Tame Raccoons” appear in a new residential area of Yekaterinburg. Visitors are greeted only by five eight-month-old raccoons - feeding, playing and petting are not prohibited. However, the mini-zoo is located on the ground floor of a residential building - according to the new law, this is a violation.
The move will cost millions
The zoo near Nizhny Tagil is located on the vast territory of a private house in the village of Nikolo-Pavlovskoye. The animals are well-groomed, the reviews are mostly good, but there is one “but”.
According to the director of the menagerie Oksana Polyakova, from January 1 the zoo is obliged to “move” 100 meters from residential premises. The local administration offered a plot of 2.5 hectares. Polyakova has already invested half a million rubles in the foundation of a warm room for animals.
But it turned out that agricultural land should be transferred to the category of “cultural development, menageries and circuses.” At the same time, the cadastral value of the site increases a thousand times - up to 26 million rubles. At a six percent rate, the rent is unaffordable—1.65 million rubles.
If we calculate the rent at the estimated cost, it will be 9 thousand per month. But this is only for three years. Polyakova asks to increase the lease term to 49 years. He says otherwise there is no point in building permanent structures.
Read more in the upcoming issues of Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
Where can you walk your dog
This area should be removed or isolated by a fence from public places, especially if they are intended for children (sandboxes, playgrounds). Regardless of the place of walking and the breed, the owner must clean up waste products after the animal. For this purpose, he needs to take a dustpan and a plastic garbage bag outside.
Dogs of non-dangerous breeds are allowed to walk without a muzzle in the following places:
- vacant lots, beams, other green areas;
- equipped sites equipped with reliable fencing;
- suburban parks, if the safety of the people present there is ensured.
Even when in a place permitted for walking, a dog of a dangerous breed must be muzzled. The exception is the territory that belongs to the owner himself and is fenced on all sides, for example, a garden plot next to the cottage.
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In what places is walking prohibited?
- Courtyards of houses, areas located at a distance of less than 30 meters from the entrances.
- Venues for public events (concerts, holidays, rallies).
- Beaches.
- Cemeteries.
- The territory of medical and educational institutions, cultural and sports institutions.
