About the adopted law and innovations
According to N 498-FZ, animals were recognized as emotional beings with the right to life. The law now requires animals to be treated as “creatures capable of experiencing emotions and physical suffering.” This is evidenced by Article 4 of this law, which establishes the basic principles of treatment of animals:
1) The law prohibits their arbitrary killing, unless it is a question of self-defense or getting rid of the pain associated with a serious fatal disease.
2) In addition, the law prohibits not only cruelty to animals, but also the distribution of related content, production, display and distribution of photo and video materials with cruelty to animals everywhere, including on the Internet.
3) Now fights between animals and other entertainment associated with causing damage and injury to them are expressly prohibited. Measures will be taken aimed at instilling in citizens “a moral and humane attitude towards animals.”
4) Animal owners will now be responsible for their fate. It will now be legally prohibited to abandon your pets on the street. Responsibility for this has not yet been provided, but, in all likelihood, changes will be made to the Administrative Code. It will be possible to get rid of an animal legally only by transferring it to another person or a shelter.
5) There is a limit on the number of cats and dogs in the apartment. The law does not establish an exact number. These issues will be resolved with each owner individually, based on “the owner’s ability to provide their pets with conditions that comply with veterinary and sanitary-epidemiological norms and rules.” It is not yet known who will be entrusted with this responsibility.
6) Dog owners are now required to clean up after their dogs on the street. The law requires pet owners to clean up after their pets during walks. The walks themselves can only be carried out in places designated for this by the municipality.
7) Public animal inspectors will appear. They will receive the official status of public inspectors in the field of animal treatment, appropriate certificates and rights. They will be allowed to record offenses in photos and videos, engage in educational activities, and exercise public control over shelters. However, they will not be allowed to interfere with the work with service animals at the disposal of law enforcement agencies.
Now animals can be confiscated from citizens, dangerous dogs will be added to a separate list. The law introduces the concept of potentially dangerous dogs - these are representatives of “certain breeds, their hybrids and other dogs that pose a potential danger to human life and health.” The law does not say which breeds the law is talking about. The specific list will be approved by the government.
9) It will now be prohibited to keep wild animals at home. The list of wild animals, the keeping of which will be completely prohibited for citizens, will also be approved by the government. Exception: the use of such animals in zoos, circuses, dolphinariums and aquariums, as well as as service animals.
10) Now it will be prohibited to catch stray dogs and cats in front of children if these animals do not pose an immediate danger to the latter. In addition, the law obliges catchers to film all their actions and provide these recordings for control.
Healthy and harmless homeless animals will be left on the street.
Shelters will be required to keep sick and abandoned animals for life.
If it is necessary to euthanize a pet, this procedure itself can only be carried out by a veterinarian “using humane methods that guarantee a quick and painless death.”
“Special Purpose Animals”: How Dogs Are Taught to Find Drugs
Photo: M24.ru
June 26 is World Day Against Illicit Drug Trafficking and Drug Use. The main “weapon” in the fight against drug dealers has been and remains service dogs - their sense of smell cannot yet be surpassed by any device.
What do “special purpose dogs” eat, why do they take the most playful dogs there, and why do they keep jackals at airports - in the material M24.ru.
The history of the dog service begins with the kennel - as a rule, Labradors, shepherds and Rottweilers are taken to training centers. It happens that puppies appear there even without a rich pedigree. For example, a dog named Gudron was taken from the veterinarians and went out - the doctors wanted to euthanize the dog, it fell into a puddle of tar. Later, the dog discovered a large batch of drugs on the train.
First, the dogs are trained to stay close to the dog handler and follow general commands: “sit”, “lie down”, “fetch” and others. Sometimes a remote collar is used for control - from the remote control, which is in the hands of the dog handler, a weak discharge is given, which stops the dog. The range of such a device is one and a half kilometers; its main purpose is to protect your pet from food that can poison him.
According to dog handlers, the most important thing in working with their pets is to present everything as a game, and for good work the dog must be active. They are taught in a playful way, and all correctly executed commands are rewarded with the dog’s favorite toy or food.
Photo: M24.ru
According to the head of the Central Canine Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Central Federal District, Alexander Ponomarev, the award teaches the dog to unquestioningly follow orders. At the same time, the canine trainer of the dog in some cases receives a bonus, which he can share with the dog. “At the discretion of the police officer, he can buy the dog a new toy or favorite food,” Ponomarev noted.
Dog handlers pay special attention to nutrition - the dog eats 600 grams of cereal and 400 grams of beef per day, fat, milk, vitamin supplements and vegetables. At the same time, the “four-legged policemen” are separately trained to refuse food offered by strangers.
After the dogs are taught commands and they stop reacting to external stimuli, they are given a choice of activity: searching for explosives and drugs or apprehending criminals. Females are more suitable for searching, and males are more suitable for fighting.
Let us note that in law enforcement agencies there is a clear division: dogs are trained either to fight a violator or to search. But everything is different in the Federal Drug Control Service - there the dog, like a real special forces soldier, undergoes both combat training and search.
The service's management also plans to train dogs to search for explosives. Despite the “non-core” nature, this is very important, because sometimes drug dealers mine their hiding places.
Photo: ITAR-TASS
It is worth saying that Russian laws prohibit the use of real TNT or heroin, so dog handlers use odor simulators when working with dogs.
One sachet of the drug lasts about a year, and specialists take them with them to any call: if the dog doesn’t find anything, the dog handler lets it find a simulator so that the trip ends “on a positive note” for the animal.
There is a special caste in the “special forces dogs” - these are units working at airports. There are different service conditions: large crowds of people, constant noise and an abundance of smells. In addition, dog handlers do not come on call - they, together with their four-legged companions, constantly patrol the terminals.
For airport security services, it is very important that the dog is constantly “in good shape”; for this purpose, a person with a drug simulator periodically walks around the building. If the dog smells something suspicious, it signals the dog handler, who then calls the task force.
By the way, Sulimov’s dog, a mixture of a reindeer dog and a jackal, was bred by an Aeroflot breeder specifically to work in the airport terminal building. Both of them have a better sense of smell than ordinary dogs, and in addition, jackals tolerate heat well, and Lapland dogs tolerate cold.
Photo: fskn.gov.ru
Training alone is not enough for dogs - they have to confirm their skills at championships and departmental competitions, as well as pass “exams”. For example, the Federal Drug Control Service annually holds a service dog breeding championship. Competitions are held for dogs to detain, protect and escort “violators”, and dog handlers take an exam on knowledge of regulatory legal documents.
In addition, the judges will evaluate how well the participants and their four-legged pets have a general training course and the ability to find drugs in luggage, indoors, on vehicles and in a group of people.
Sergey Blokhin
Questions about the new law
The question is raised by paragraph 4 of Art. 11 of this Law.
Article 11. Protection of animals from cruelty
1. Animals must be protected from cruelty.
2. When handling animals the following are not allowed:
1) carrying out veterinary and other procedures on animals without the use of painkillers for veterinary use that can cause intolerable pain in animals; 2) setting animals (except for service animals) against other animals; 3) refusal of animal owners to fulfill their obligations to maintain animals until they are placed in animal shelters or disposed of in another legal way;
And then comes the 4th point:
4) trade in animals in places not specifically designated for this.
It is not entirely clear what relation this clause may have to protection from abuse?
Regional access[edit]
Despite regulations or rules prohibiting access to animals in restaurants and other public places, in many countries guide dogs, other types of guide dogs, and in some cases miniature horses [3] are protected by law and therefore can accompany their guides to most places open to the public. Laws and regulations vary by jurisdiction.
United States[edit]
In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibits any business, government agency, or other organization that provides access to the general public from prohibiting the use of assistance dogs. However, religious organizations are not required to provide such access. Current federal regulations define a "service animal" for purposes of the ADA to exclude all types of animals except domestic dogs and miniature horses. [3] However, other laws still provide broader definitions in other areas. For example, Department of Transportation regulations implementing the Air Carrier Access Act permit “dogs and other service animals” to accompany commercial airline passengers. [6]The Fair Housing Act also requires housing providers to allow service animals (including comfort and emotional support animals) into housing without any type restrictions. [7]
The revised ADA requirements are as follows: “Beginning March 15, 2011, only dogs are recognized as service animals under Titles II and III of the ADA. A service animal is a dog that is individually trained to perform work or tasks for a person with a disability. In general, Category II and III organizations must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas where members of the public are allowed to enter. In addition to the provisions for service dogs, the Department's revised ADA regulations include a new, separate provision for miniature horses that have been individually trained to work or perform tasks for people with disabilities (miniature horses typically range in height from 24 to 34 inches to the shoulders, and typically they weigh between 70 and 100 pounds.) Entities covered by the ADA must change their policies to allow miniature horses where appropriate. The regulations establish four evaluation factors to help organizations determine whether miniature horses can be accommodated on their premises. Factors to evaluate are: (1) whether the miniature horse is housetrained; (2) whether the miniature horse is under the control of the owner; (3) whether the facility can accommodate a miniature horse, size and weight; and (4) whether the presence of the miniature horse would compromise legal safety requirements necessary for the safe operation of the facility." Factors of evaluation are: (1) whether the miniature horse is housetrained; (2) whether the miniature horse is under the control of the owner; (3) whether the facility can accommodate a miniature horse, size and weight; and (4) whether the presence of the miniature horse would compromise legal safety requirements necessary for the safe operation of the facility." Factors of evaluation are: (1) whether the miniature horse is housetrained; (2) whether the miniature horse is under the control of the owner; (3) whether the facility can accommodate a miniature horse, size and weight; and (4) whether the presence of the miniature horse would compromise legal safety requirements necessary for the safe operation of the facility."[8]
However, businesses may exclude service animals when the presence or behavior of the animals "fundamentally changes" the nature of the goods, services, programs or activities provided to the public. [9] This may include exclusion from certain areas of zoos where the presence of a dog may disrupt the behavior of the animals or where there is public access to the animals, or if the alert behavior of a service dog barks, its behavior may be considered a fundamental change to the service provided by the cinema.
Other regions[edit]
- In most South American countries and Mexico, access to guide dogs depends solely on the goodwill of the owner or manager. In more touristy areas, guide dogs are usually accepted without problems. In Brazil, however, a 2006 federal decree[10] requires that guide dogs be allowed in all public and publicly accessible areas. Metro Brasília has developed a program that trains guide dogs to ride.
- In Europe, the situation depends on location. Some countries have laws that govern the entire country and sometimes the decision is left to the respective regions.
- In Australia, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 protects all dog assistance handlers. Current laws cannot ensure that guide dog users can always have their service animals in all situations. Each state and territory has its own laws, mainly regarding guide dogs. Queensland introduced the Guide and Assistance Dogs Act 2009 [11], which applies to all certified guide dogs.
- In Canada, guide dogs, along with other service animals, are allowed wherever the general public is permitted, provided they are supervised by the owner. The fine for denying access to a service animal can be up to $3,000 in Alberta, Canada. [12]
- In South Korea, it is illegal to deny access to guide dogs in any area open to the public. Violators are fined no more than 2 million won.
General view of a service animal[edit]
| In this section do not cite any sources . |
People who may qualify as a guide dog may have a number of physical and/or mental disabilities.
Guide animal
The animal is specially trained to help visually impaired persons navigate the public.
These animals can be trained to open doors, recognize traffic lights, guide their owners safely along public streets, and navigate crowds of people. Mobility animals
can perform similar services to those with mobility impairments, as well as providing assistance with balance or falling issues.
Hearing animals
are trained to assist those who are hard of hearing or deaf.
These animals can be trained to respond to doorbells or telephone calls, or to pull their owners towards the person who is talking to them. Psychiatric animals
can be trained to provide deep pressure therapy while lying on a person who may be suffering from retrospective, stimulus, or acute anxiety PTSD.
Similarly, autism animals
have recently been introduced to recognize and respond to the needs of people with autism spectrum disorder;
Some people with ASD state that they are more comfortable interacting with animals than with human caregivers due to challenges with eye contact, touch, and socialization. [ citation needed
]
Emergency medical animals
can assist in medical emergencies and perform services such as clearing an area in the event of a large entrapment, obtaining medications or other needed items, alerting others in the event of a medical episode; some may even be taught how to call emergency services using a phone with specially designed large buttons.
Animals also provide important companionship and emotional support to owners who might otherwise be isolated due to a disability. However, it is important to note that providing “important companionship and emotional support to owners” is not a task that qualifies an animal as a service animal. In the United States, it is illegal to bring an animal into non-pet-friendly areas simply because it provides companionship or emotional support. Additionally, it is illegal to call your animal a service animal. [ Required citation
] Owners, in turn, often gain a sense of accomplishment and importance from caring for their animals' needs.
Responsibility for cruelty to animals.
Criminal liability for cruelty to animals is provided for in Art. 245 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
Under the first part, the punishment is a fine in the amount of up to eighty thousand rubles or in the amount of the wages or other income of the convicted person for a period of up to six months, or compulsory labor for a period of up to three hundred and sixty hours, or correctional labor for a period of up to one year, or restriction of freedom for a period of up to one year. for a term of up to one year, or arrest for a term of up to six months, or imprisonment for a term of up to three years.
For the second part - a fine in the amount of one hundred thousand to three hundred thousand rubles or in the amount of wages or other income of the convicted person for a period of one to two years, or correctional labor for a term of up to two years, or forced labor for a term of up to five years, or imprisonment for a term of three to five years.
Administrative liability for offenses related to the treatment of animals is provided for in Ch. 5 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.
