Pet Tax in Russia in 2018

It's quite possible that the catchphrase from the cartoon Prostokvashino, "Whiskers, paws, and a tail—these are my documents," will soon lose its relevance for Russian pets. This is due to the planned introduction of a pet tax, a bill for which is scheduled to be considered at upcoming State Duma meetings.

Prerequisites for innovation

The legislative basis for the introduction of the pet tax in Russia is the supplementary provisions to the Law of the Russian Federation "On Veterinary Medicine," adopted in 2015. These provisions provide for the creation of a pet registration system. However, to date, these requirements have not been effectively implemented, as there is no bylaw defining the animal registration procedures.

The current discussion is about developing a registration mechanism: who will conduct it and how. In this regard, the preparation of a regulatory document that will outline these rules for registering and identifying animals is being finalized. However, this is not so much about an animal tax as it is about a fee-based registration. If the bill is approved, the fee will likely be a one-time payment rather than monthly or annual. The rules for payment and the amount of the animal tax in Russia for 2018 are still under discussion, so no specific figures have been announced.

What to prepare for

It is planned that the registration procedure will be carried out by veterinary authorities. Entering a record of a person's ownership of a cat or dog into the registry will be free. However, entering information about the pet's characteristics will incur a fee. The individual will be able to choose the marking method:

• applying information to the collar;
• tag or brand;
• microchipping (for those who don't like visual marks).

Note! In Russia, unlike many European countries, microchipping is still voluntary and is typically performed on purebred dogs and cats, as it is a requirement for participating in international shows or obtaining insurance.

Vladimir Panov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Ecology and Environmental Protection, explains the purpose of the law: "It's important to teach people to be responsible for their animals, and we're still discussing specific measures." However, all the changes won't come into effect immediately. A transition period will be provided for their adoption.

The mandatory pet registration system has been in effect in Crimea since January 1, 2017. To do this, you must bring your pet to a veterinary service, where they will conduct an examination and, if necessary, a free check-up. vaccination against rabies, which ultimately costs 52 rubles. The Crimean registry records information on:

• owner (full name, residential address and telephone number);
• pet (species, breed, age, gender and nickname).

The owner receives a veterinary passport, which costs 109 rubles. A registration certificate in the form of a metal tag or chip is also available upon request, costing 764 rubles.

Why do I need to register?

According to animal rights activists, mandatory pet registration is a way to ensure responsible ownership and prevent unscrupulous behavior. This applies to cases of evasion of responsibility when animals cause damage to property or the health of citizens, when it is not always possible to prove that a specific pet is responsible.

The law will also affect owners who abandon pets. If the bill is passed, this will no longer be possible: the owner will not only be found but also held accountable. The microchipping procedure will allow for faster identification of lost pets, as the digital code will allow for the location of all their contacts in a database.

The bill's authors are also confident that the law's introduction will help address the following problems:

• the number of feral animals on city streets should decrease, and, accordingly, sources of dangerous infections and other types of danger;
• citizens will approach the decision to have a pet responsibly;
• the number of people who like to keep a large number of cats or dogs in one apartment, which causes certain inconveniences to neighbors, will decrease;
• It will be possible to accurately identify and confirm the origin of animals, which is important for purebred individuals, and especially those that are quite similar to each other, even though they belong to different breeds.

Supporters of the new regulations also call for a differentiated approach to registration, introducing specific benefits for citizens of different social statuses. For example, making the registration procedure free for pensioners and developing a system of discounts for young and large families.

Read also:

• Law on keeping dogs
• The 2017 Russian Dog Walking Law
• Breeders Registration Act