The State Assembly of the Republic of Yakutia adopted a law in its second reading authorizing the euthanasia of stray animals. Forty-nine out of 52 deputies who participated in the session on June 13 voted in favor of this measure. The law will come into force in 10 days.
The law states that stray dogs who are seriously ill, transmit diseases dangerous to people, or demonstrate aggression, may be euthanized in temporary shelters.
'Unclaimed animals,' meaning those that are not adopted within 30 days, will also be killed. However, the authorities in Yakutia have allowed shelters to keep dogs at their own expense to save them from euthanasia.
Yakutia has become the 12th Russian region to authorize the killing of stray animals. Similar laws have previously been adopted in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Udmurtia, Altai Krai, Chukotka, Zabaykalsky Krai, Tuva, Buryatia, and the regions of Astrakhan, Orenburg, Samara, and Magadan.
