Continuing our series on national legislation around the world and comparing it to Singapore, we’ve previously delved into laws concerning the economic development of Macau. Now, we turn our attention to a hotly debated bill in Russia concerning animal rights.
Positive Aspects of Russia’s Proposed Animal Law
Russia’s proposed animal law has been met with mixed reactions, as it seeks to grant regional organs of state power the right to cancel the TNR programs (Trap-neuter-return – a humane way to reduce the number of stray animals) – and replace it with «humane euthanasia».
While there are some positive aspects to the bill, there are also a number of negative aspects that should be taken into account.
One of the positive aspects of the bill is that it seeks to ensure the safety of citizens, particularly children, living in regions with a high number of stray dog attacks. Additionally, the bill will allow regions where the number of stray animals continues to grow despite existing programs to implement additional measures such as so called «humane euthanasia» of the aggressive «stray dogs». The legislative authorities of the regions will determine the procedure for dealing with stray animals, taking into account the position of citizens living in the region.
Negative Aspects of Russia’s Proposed Animal Law
However, there are also negative aspects to the bill. Firstly, euthanasia contradicts modern humane methods of solving the problem, and government funds may be spent indiscriminately on killing animals rather than on humane and effective solutions to the problem of stray animals in the country. In practice, the bill may lead to the uncontrolled shooting of stray animals, as this is the cheapest way for regions to deal with the problem. Furthermore, those regions that support shooting stray animals are typically not implementing the existing TNR programs, and the allocated funds are not being used for their intended purpose.
Public Opinion on Russia’s Stray Animal Issue
According to the Russian Public Opinion Research Center, over 60% of Russians believe that the number of stray dogs and cats is too high in their area. However, the same survey also found that a majority of Russians (72%) are against euthanasia as a means of dealing with stray animals. Instead, they prefer alternative methods, such as sterilization and adoption programs.
Singapore’s stray animal policy
Singapore’s stray animal policy is based on TNR principles. It aims to strike a balance between the welfare of the animals and the needs of the community, and has been successful in keeping the number of strays on the streets under control.
Singapore has a strict stray animal policy to maintain public health and safety, and prevent the spread of diseases. The policy is enforced by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) and includes the following measures:
- Sterilization: All stray dogs and cats are sterilized to prevent overpopulation and reduce the number of strays on the streets.
- Vaccination: Stray dogs are required to be vaccinated against rabies to prevent the spread of the disease.
- Identification: Stray dogs are required to be microchipped to help identify and track them.
- Impounding: Stray animals found in public areas are impounded and held in AVA’s animal shelters for a minimum of seven days to give their owners a chance to claim them. After the seven-day period, the animals are put up for adoption, transferred to animal welfare groups or, in some cases, humanely euthanized.
Singapore’s strict laws and comprehensive animal welfare policies have helped to reduce the number of stray animals in the country. According to the National Parks Board, the number of stray dogs and cats in Singapore has decreased by 25% from 13,000 in 2010 to 9,700 in 2019. This is attributed to measures such as the mandatory licensing of dogs, the sterilization and release of stray cats, and public education campaigns on responsible pet ownership.
Serious Issues with Russia’s Proposed Animal Law
Another serious issue with Russian bill is that the practice of shooting will not be regulated, and there have already been cases of dogs and cats being shot in front of children, which can cause psychological trauma. Furthermore, «humane euthanasia» will affect all pets that are outside and not identified, putting them at risk of destruction. There is also no definition of animal aggressiveness in the regulatory framework, which could lead to all stray dogs with teeth being considered aggressive.
Singapore’s Example of Comprehensive Animal Laws and Welfare Policies
While Russia’s proposed law focuses primarily on dealing with stray dogs through euthanasia, Singapore’s laws take a more holistic approach to animal welfare, ensuring that pets are well cared for and cruelty to animals is prohibited.
Singapore has a comprehensive set of animal laws that prohibit cruelty to animals and require pet owners to be responsible for their pets. The country also has a strong animal welfare culture, with numerous animal welfare organizations and a government-supported program to sterilize and release stray cats and dogs.
Singapore’s Comprehensive Animal Laws and Welfare Policies include:
- Licensing: All pet dogs in Singapore are required to be licensed with the AVA. The license fee helps to deter people from buying dogs on impulse, and also helps to identify the owners of abandoned dogs.
- Education: The AVA conducts public education campaigns to raise awareness about responsible pet ownership. These campaigns emphasize the importance of sterilization, vaccination, and proper care for pets, and encourage people to adopt pets from animal shelters rather than buying them from pet shops.
- Adoption: The AVA operates animal shelters where abandoned pets can be adopted. The adoption process is simple and straightforward, and fees are kept low to encourage adoption.
- Stricter penalties: In recent years, the Singaporean government has introduced stricter penalties for pet abandonment. Offenders can be fined up to SGD 10,000 and/or jailed for up to 12 months. The government has also introduced a «name and shame» policy, where the names and photographs of convicted pet abusers are made public.
While Singapore’s animal laws are comprehensive and create a strong animal welfare culture providing a positive example for other countries to follow in ensuring the well-being of animals, the proposed animal law in Russia is rather partial as it seeks to address the issue of already existing stray animals in the country, there are significant concerns regarding its implementation of the law and the potential it gives for animal cruelty.
