Law No. 3447-IV “On protection of animals from cruel treatment”.

The scope of this Law shall be protection of animals against suffering and death as a result of their cruel treatment, protection of their natural rights and strengthening of the morality and humanity of society. It shall be applicable to relations arising from keeping of animals by legal and natural persons, including stockbreeding (pedigree stockbreeding), hunting, fisheries, keeping of domestic animals (pets), use of animals in circuses, zoos, sport events and scientific research. The treatment of animals shall be based on the following principles: (a) cruel treatment of animals is incompatible with the requirements of morality and humanity, causes moral harm to humans; (b) provision of living conditions for animals that meet their biological, species and individual characteristics; (c) property rights and other real rights to animals in case of ill-treatment of them may be terminated in accordance with this Law; (d) prohibition of cruel methods of killing animals (slaughtering); (e) responsibility for ill-treatment of animals; and (f) keeping and handling of pets without the purpose of causing harm to others and the animal itself. Propaganda of cruel treatment of animals shall be prohibited. This Law consists of VI Sections. Section I lays down general provisions. Section II sets forth rules for keeping animals excluding cruelty. Section III sets forth rules of treating animals excluding cruelty. Section IV regards state regulation of relations in the field of protection of animals from cruel treatment. Section V establishes public control in the field of protection of animals from cruelty. Section VI lays down final provisions.