Federal Law No. 498-FZ “On responsible treatment of animals”.

This Federal Law regulates relations in the field of treatment of animals with a view of animal protection purposes and in order to strengthen morality, respect for the principles of humanity, ensuring security and other rights and legitimate interests of citizens when dealing with animals. The provisions of this Federal Law shall not apply to relations in the field of wildlife conservation and use, relationships in the field of fisheries and conservation of aquatic biological resources, aquaculture (fish farming), hunting and conservation of hunting resources, keeping and use of farm animals and keeping use of laboratory animals. The owner of the animal shall be considered a natural person of a legal entity to which the animal belongs by right of property or other legal basis. Treatment of stray animals shall be considered activities, including capturing animals (cure, vaccination, sterilization), return to their previous habitats and other arrangements envisaged by the federal legislation. Wild animals kept or managed in captive conditions shall be considered wild animals, removed from their habitats (including those imported to the Russian Federation from other states) and offspring of such animals (including their hybrids). Cruel treatment of animals shall be considered treatment resulting in death, injuries or damage to animal health, including making them suffer by hunger, thirst, beatings and other cruel actions. The treatment of animals is based on the following principles of morality and humanity: (a) treating animals as beings capable of experiencing emotions and physical suffering; (b) responsibility of a person for the fate of an animal; (c) education of the population in moral and humane attitude to animals; (d) scientifically grounded combination of moral, economic and social interests of an individual, society and the state. In the process of treating animals the following practices shall be prohibited: (a) veterinary and other procedures on animals without the use of painkillers, drugs for veterinary use, that can cause unbearable pain in animals; (b) setting animals (with the exception of service animals) on other animals; (c) the refusal of pet owners to fulfill their obligations related to keeping animals until their accommodation in animal shelters or alienation by any other legal means; (d) trade in animals in places not specifically designated for this; (e) the organization and conduct of animal fighting; (f) organization and conduct of entertainment events that entail for self injury and injury to animals, killing of animals; (g) feeding predatory animals by other live animals in places open to public, except when requirements for the use of animals in cultural and entertainment objectives and their content established by the Government of the Russian Federation. This Federal Law contains 7 Chapters divided into 27 Articles. Chapter 1 lays down general provisions. Chapter 2 establishes the powers of federal state bodies, regional state bodies and local government in the field of treatment of animals. Chapter 3 establishes requirements for keeping and treatment of animals. Chapter 4 establishes requirements for treatment of stray animals. Chapter 5 regards state and public supervision over treatment of animals. Chapter 6 establishes liability for the infringement of this Federal Law. Chapter 7 lays down final provisions.