Federal Law No. 498-ФЗ contains basic provisions on the protection of animals in zoos (Articles 5, paragraph 2, 6, 15, paragraph 9, and 27, paragraph 4). Article 5(2) provides that the State shall keep a list of animals which may not be kept in captivity. Article 6 stipulates that activities for the conservation and use of animals in zoos, zoos, circuses, animal theatres, dolphinariums or oceanariums are subject to authorization in accordance with Federal Law No. 99-FZ on the licensing of various types of activities (4 May 2011). Article 27 (4) of Federal Law No. 498-ФЗ stipulates that sole proprietors engaged in activities of conservation and use of animals in zoos, zoos, circuses, animal theaters, dolphinariums or oceanariums must obtain a license to carry them out before January 1, 2022. After 1 January 2022, the exercise of this activity without authorisation is no longer permitted. OIE animal welfare standards focus on transport, slaughter, production systems (beef cattle, broilers, dairy cattle, pigs), control of stray dog populations, use of animals in research and teaching, and equine work. One of the unusual animal shelters was founded in Russia by Lily Gazizullina for slaughter cows. She has saved 24 cows so far. Lily Gazizullina starred in the BBC season of “100 Women” in 2016.
[12] There is no indication that responsibility for animal welfare or the development of animal welfare was assigned to a single government agency. Article 8 of Federal Law No. 498-ФЗ stipulates that the powers of local self-government units in the field of animal treatment shall be defined in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation on the general principles of the organization of local self-government units and this federal law. Article 19 stipulates that State control in the field of animal treatment is exercised by the federal executive authorities that supervise veterinary services and nature conservation. No further information is provided on a single federal executive authority. The Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation is responsible for “the formulation and implementation of government policy and legal regulations in agriculture and related industries, including animal husbandry (including breeding of domesticated fish species registered in the State Register of Protected Livestock Services), veterinary services… and “Development of government policies and legislation in the fishing industry, including fishing and fish farming (aquaculture). the protection, study, conservation and replacement of marine animals and the protection of their natural habitats, with the exception of biological water resources in federal nature reserves listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation”. Euthanizing these animals humanely instead of condemning them to a life in hell is no longer an option. The Russian government is urged to officially recognize animals as susceptible in legislation, as there is scientific evidence that all vertebrates, cephalopods and decapods are sensitive. In addition, the Russian government is urged to extend the scope of Federal Law No. 498-ФЗ to all animals. It calls on the Russian government to ban the housing of farm animals – for example, in poultry houses for sows and farrowing bins for pigs and in cages for laying hens – and the government is called upon to require the humane slaughter of all farm animals with stunning before slaughter.
The Russian government is also called upon to ban fur farming, which is inherently cruel and causes pain and suffering to animals. The Russian government is urged to ban forms of entertainment that cause animal suffering, such as the use of captive marine mammals in public performances. Other legal and policy recommendations are linked to each indicator of the Animal Welfare Index (API) and are included in the relevant sections of this report. Although the government has delegated some environmental tasks to its executive bodies, this has not morphed or evolved into an assignment of responsibility for animal welfare. Environmental and nature conservation measures in the country are underpinned by the vision of animal commodification, which does not create a framework in which debates on promoting animal welfare and welfare can take place. There is no evidence that human and financial resources have been allocated to the promotion of animal welfare or welfare.