The Dog Walking Law of 2022 was adopted on December 28, 2018. Its official number is Federal Law No. 498 “On the Responsible Treatment of Animals.” Based on Federal Law No. 248, changes were made to some legislative acts of the Russian Federation. Walking dogs, rules and requirements for keeping them, as well as cats, became the main points of the regulatory document. Since January 1, 2022, it has been included in the legislation in force in the country, but some articles have come into force this year, 2022.
Dogs walking on the street
Dog Walking Law 2022: Russia, official text
The Federal Animal Welfare Act has been under discussion for about five years because some of its provisions and clauses have met with harsh criticism from the public, animal rights activists, and even lawyers.
Walking dogs in the city
As a result, the original version was supplemented with adjustments and additional clauses and led to amendments to other legislative acts. The result was rules for dog walking in Russia that did not previously exist. The standard requirements were only in the bill.
This need has existed for a long time.
The 2022 legislation takes this into account. And the law, which lists and establishes dog walking standards, has received the necessary additions starting in 2022.
Walking pet on a leash
The introduction of new legal norms regarding dog walking and repressive norms for violating them did not resolve the pressing problem of the existence of special places for this purpose. In fact, the adoption of the law only stipulated the creation of such by local authorities based on the existing requirements of regional self-government bodies.
However, new dog walking guidelines had to be adopted as there was no legislation in place. There were only local government regulations defining places where pets could be walked. The conditions under which this should be carried out were also specified. The new law included the following points:
- The need for special equipment for movement in areas not designated as free-running areas for dogs. The dog should not move without a muzzle and a leash in prohibited areas and crowded places.
- Requirements for points where you can walk your dog are the safety of other animals and people who accompany the pets, the safety of the property of legal entities and individuals.
- The time when walking is officially permitted and recommended is from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. No one forbids being with a dog on the street at later or earlier times. But it is necessary to comply with the condition - the dog will be walked without violating the silence regime, which is established precisely from 23:00 to 07:00.
- Without a muzzle and without a leash, a dog may only be in an area specially designated for this purpose by local authorities. The exception is a puppy under 3 months of age, if we are talking about large animals or classified as potentially dangerous breeds. Small breed dogs are allowed to be walked without equipment.
- It is prohibited to walk dogs while intoxicated, even if there is a leash and muzzle. Now this means an administrative offense and implies a potential and quite significant fine.
Rules for walking without a muzzle on city streets
The owner can walk with the dog in full protective equipment only in places that are not classified as prohibited by the relevant instructions of local authorities. The owner is required by law to clean up after his walking pet if the dog leaves excrement. To do this, you need to have a scoop and spatula with you.
How else can you influence the offender?
Public censure and publicity can be an effective tool here, so sometimes parents or simply concerned people publish photos of violators in a city group on social networks - often after that they do not appear on playgrounds.
Let us remind you that on the social network “Vmeste.ru” you have the opportunity to join the community at your home address, which can also be used in the fight against unscrupulous dog owners. By publishing a corresponding post in the community of your home or area, you can attract the attention of your neighbors to the problem - it is unlikely that those who walk their dogs on playgrounds will want to experience public censure in person after a large number of angry comments on the Internet.
Rules for walking dogs in the city
Animals must not be walked in the wrong place. This refers to the area near cafes, canteens, shops and other points of access and stay of people considered collective.
How to walk your pet
Even before the new law was issued, city officials had passed ordinances specifying areas where dogs were prohibited under any conditions met. These include the roadway (even if it is at night and there is no traffic), adjacent areas of multi-storey and apartment buildings.
This also includes sports and children's playgrounds with special equipment, crowded streets, areas of schools and kindergartens, and hospitals.
Amendments to the legislation gave legal status to prohibitions and places where you can walk your dog that previously existed by default or by order of city authorities.
Dogs on leashes and muzzles
Previously, when there were no penalties, residents of apartment buildings were forced to endure dog barking and excrement from the pets of irresponsible owners who walked the dog at their own discretion.
The new walking rules contain a list of places prohibited for animals in the city.
You can complain about their violation. Administrative liability is provided for dog owners who violate Russian legislation. A number of rules must be followed:
- You can walk your dog in a place specially equipped by the city authorities. For example, in a fenced area where there is a fence and the coating changes with frequency in accordance with established rules.
- If one is not provided, there must be a specially designated place. For example, a vacant lot between houses, where the owner must ensure safety for other animals and their owners. There are protective measures for this. The upbringing of the dog is also of great importance. She needs to be taught to follow commands and behave correctly in society.
- Dog breeds classified as dangerous by law cannot be accompanied by a child or intoxicated adult. It is impossible for the fashion for aggressive hybrids or breeds like the pit bull to lead to incidents, the definition of which legally falls not under the scope of the Code of Administrative Offenses, but under a criminal article.
Certificate of vaccinations
In some regions of Russia, such walking rules have been in effect for a long time. For example, in the Sverdlovsk region, for which the regional authorities adopted a corresponding resolution.
They even allow a large dog to stay freely in the yard of their own house only if the surrounding area is securely fenced off. A warning sign - a picture or an inscription - must be installed on the fence.
In 2022, other points of the new law on walking came into force. Guaranteed support for their action will be new decrees of the city authorities. It is also necessary to equip special dog pens where you can walk your pets safely and free of charge.
Legal norms for walking pets
There are certain requirements for a properly equipped walking area. These are size, distance from buildings, landscaping elements. Even if the quality of the coating does not meet the text of the law or GOST, animal owners can file complaints with the city administration.
Why you can't walk dogs on the playground
Firstly, animal waste products pose a danger from the point of view of the child’s health. By crawling on the ground, grass, soil, playing in the sandbox, etc., children can inadvertently pick up parasites or various diseases - this is the opinion of pediatricians.
Secondly, if a dog bites a child, then due to the threat of rabies or tetanus, he will need to undergo a course of treatment (in addition to fear, pain, etc.). In this situation, the dog owner may face criminal liability. The injured party may also file a claim in court to recover medical costs if personal injury has occurred.
Thirdly, the children’s psyche has not yet strengthened, and even in the absence of the threat of an animal attack, the child may become very frightened and begin to stutter - for example, even if a large breed dog suddenly just comes close to the baby with the harmless intention of playing.
Fine for violating the law on walking
The punishment for violating the new law differs in different regions, since it is not specified in its text, but depends on the Code of Administrative Offenses (CAO) in force in the territory of the subject of the federation - city, region, republic or territory.
Walking pets is prohibited
In this regard, it is worth noting the following:
- in Moscow, monetary penalties range from 1–2 thousand rubles;
- the authorities of St. Petersburg considered it necessary to double the amount of payment and fine violators of the rules for walking dogs in the amount of 3 to 5 thousand rubles;
- The Krasnoyarsk Territory makes exceptions for those who perform official duties with a dog; for other owners, the monetary penalty will be 1–5 thousand rubles;
- There is a similar situation with fines for walking dogs illegally in the Krasnodar Territory.
Fine for walking a pet in the wrong place: subtleties
Graduation has not yet been adopted in the Moscow region. But there is reason to believe that public outcry will accelerate the adoption of a system of administrative penalties, taking into account the specifics of rural areas and the type of settlement. The problem will be resolved based on the Moscow experience.
Rules for keeping dogs
The government of St. Petersburg has long ago adopted the Law on Administrative Offenses, according to which the provisions of the new federal regulatory document have long been implemented. In 2004, in St. Petersburg, a document was published by the Committee for Improvement, which explicitly prohibits walking dogs and any other pets.
The parks and squares of the magnificent city are now patrolled by Committee inspectors, who are still warning owners about the legally supported possibilities of a one-time fine.
The lower limit of punishment for walking a dog in the wrong place is 3 thousand rubles. Violation a second time may entail more significant administrative liability.
Where to go if dogs are being walked on the playground
Complaints about dog owners who use playgrounds for walking are accepted by the city/district administration and the district police officer. You can submit complaints to both authorities in parallel.
Collective complaints are most effective, therefore, to achieve the greatest effect, it is recommended to involve other parents whose children use the playground in drawing up the document. Photo and video recording of violations can be used as evidence, and all-seeing and all-knowing pensioner grandmothers can act as witnesses.
Finding a violator can be a difficult task, but that is the job of the district police officer. The situation is simplified if the offender is your neighbor and you know where he lives. To begin with, they can hold an explanatory conversation with the violator, warn him, and in the future fines are possible (the exact amounts of fines can be found in the law on administrative offenses of each specific region).
About large and potentially dangerous dog breeds
The list of dog breeds known to be dangerous to others was approved by the Government of the Russian Federation on July 31, 2022. However, changes in legislation regarding aggressive animals only came into force in 2022.
The dog walks in a muzzle and on a leash
Most of them are not species that can be found on the street every day. Many Russians don’t even know these names: wolfdog, bandog, ambuldog and pit bullmastiff, akbash, bully kutta.
Husky, children's favorite Labrador, and the well-known German Shepherd are not small breeds. They are easy to teach rules of behavior and commands, but they cannot be in public transport or places where there are potential crowds of people.
These pets fall under the category of large breeds with a height of more than 40 cm at the withers. Such animals should not be allowed to cross without a short leash and muzzle only on the basis of training or friendliness, which their owners often use as an argument.
A small dog
Subtleties of walking according to the law
The Staff or Shepherd must be equipped accordingly. For a small dog in transport in 2022, you need to purchase appropriate armor.
Penalties
Dog owners who ignore the law will face fines. The range of their monetary value is very wide. The category of violators also varies.
- For ordinary citizens, the fine will be 3,000-4,000 rubles.
- For officials - 30,000 - 50,000 rubles.
- For legal entities - 100,000 - 150,000 rubles.
Relapses recorded within a year from the moment of the first incident entail significantly increasing penalties in rubles.
- For ordinary citizens - up to 10,000 - 20,000 rubles.
- For officials - up to 50,000 - 100,000 rubles.
- For legal entities - up to 700,000 - 1,000,000 rubles.
For a drunk citizen, a walk with a pet can cost from 1,000 to 5,000 rubles.
Owners of dogs running around without a muzzle and collar in public places are punished with monetary penalties, the amount of which is determined by legal acts at the regional level. Thus, in the capital of the Russian Federation, penalties for such an offense amount to 1000-2000 rubles (the norm of Article 5.1, paragraph 3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of Moscow). The absence of a muzzle is allowed if the owner does not plan to go shopping with his four-legged friend to a store, to the market, or does not plan to travel on public transport or relax on the beach - these norms are prescribed in the “Temporary Rules for Keeping and Walking Dogs and Cats in the City of Moscow” "
If a dog shows aggression towards a stranger during a walk (attacks, scratches, bites), the victim has the right to go to court to demand moral compensation. Incidents with serious consequences following a dog attack (injury, death) may result in the animal owner being held accountable for his actions under the articles of the Criminal Code. Severe sentences are rarely imposed, since the consideration of the case requires serious evidence that the owner deliberately set the dog on a person. In some cases, the owner may be threatened with confiscation of the pet.
Is it legal to enter a store or pharmacy with a dog?
According to the laws of the Russian Federation and requirements for dog walking, entry with animals into grocery stores is prohibited. However, there is no mention of non-grocery retail outlets and pharmacies. Nevertheless, the presence of a sign at the entrance prohibiting passage with dogs, as well as requests from employees and store owners to leave the premises if they have a pet, regardless of its size and breed, are a priority for law enforcement officers.
Important! Unimpeded entry into all establishments of a city or town is allowed only to visually impaired people with a guide dog.
Some retail establishments do not oppose visiting customers with pets. A prominent representative of such places are pet stores. But even in them, pets cannot walk independently.
