Uzbek MP Elena Babenko has recently announced that the members of Parliament's Committee on Ecology and Environmental Protection are now developing a draft law on animal protection; the bill would oblige many irresponsible citizens to become accountable for animal abandonment and abuse. In her remark, the Deputy urged replacing inhumane trapping services with rescue groups.
'We should adopt a specific law that would comply with international best practices and national specifics. Furthermore, the new bill should clearly define a specially authorized body in the field of animal welfare supervision that would also monitor the implementation of animal care, treatment, and stray animal population growth, since now there is no control over owned and homeless pets, there is no unified system to account animals, and the services dealing with these issues relate to different structures,' the Deputy noted.
Despite some penalties for animal cruelty in Uzbekistan's legislation, the Central Asian country's animal rights enthusiasts are yet concerned about the hike in criminal cases, especially towards stray cats and dogs. Moreover, shocking footage of extreme cruelty has recently flooded the local social media segment as such cases occur in almost all regions nationwide.
'The root of the issue lies in the low morale of some citizens who did not receive the necessary upbringing in childhood as well as the inhumane activity of public trapping services,' MP said, stressing the importance of adopting some legal acts regulating the principles of the proper handling of animals.
As an example, Elena Babenko stated that citizens of the Netherlands adhere to several Dutch regulations that envisage the tax payment system for their pets. Those committing animal abuse get subjected to a three-year prison sentence and a fine of 17,000 euros. In 2016 New Zealand adopted a law that recognizes animals as sentient beings and prohibits research, experimentation, hunting, and fishing. Germany once also became the first country in the European Union to grant constitutional rights to its animals by establishing a profession of animal protector. According to German law, pets must be kept subject to compulsory licensing. Since 2005, the Austrian Animal Welfare Act has established that the state protects the life and welfare of animals due to the special responsibility of people towards animals as their brothers. In Italy, those abandoning their pets face a year of imprisonment or a fine of up to 10,000 euros. Switzerland has had an Animal Rights Act since 2008, which regulates the management of wild and domestic animals.
Elena Babenko added that the law should introduce liability for animal abandonment, uncontrolled reproduction, neglect, or a failure to provide for the animal's basic needs. She also stressed that it is necessary to strengthen the liability for animal cruelty by increasing the penalties to help fund local dog and cat shelters. In addition, MP advises abolishing stray animal trapping services.