Law on dog walking in Russia 2020: main provisions, lawyer’s comments

A dog is our friend, ally and companion. Therefore, we are happy to have four-legged pets, not knowing all the nuances and rules of keeping dogs and walking these animals. Dogs can pose a threat to others, no matter how sweet and kind they are to their owner. After all, they have sharp teeth, which can be deadly for strangers.

If the owner does not attach special importance to the training and education of his tailed friend, the consequences of such negligence can be disastrous. Therefore, in the Russian Federation there is a set of rules for walking pets. This necessary measure helps to provide protection from aggressive canine behavior if the owner is unable to calm his animal down in a civil way.

There is no uniform law on dog walking. Each individual district of the Russian Federation has its own legislative rules and regulations. Familiarization with them is mandatory for all dog owners, since ignorance does not relieve responsibility, so read and remember them. For example, for the Russian capital, the rules for keeping pet tailed animals are determined by the fifth chapter of the Moscow City Code on administrative violations of order. We will look at the basic rules in this article.

Content

Where can you walk your pet?
In what places is dog walking strictly prohibited? Dog walking rules.
In what cases is a leash necessary?
What kind of leash should a dog have?
Muzzle for an animal: when to put it on, standard requirements.
Responsibility of the dog owner: fine for walking a dog in the wrong place, walking a dog without a muzzle.
What is the dog owner criminally liable for?
Where to go if you are bitten by someone else's dog?

Basic concepts and rules for keeping and walking four-legged friends

Here are some generally accepted rules:

In public places it is necessary to ensure the safe presence of dogs near people.
It is also necessary to ensure full control over the health of your pet. This is important to prevent the spread of infections. Dogs should not be allowed to attack people.
Naturally, cruelty to animals is not allowed.
The dog must be registered with a veterinary clinic, have a passport and a vaccination document. The passport contains the name of the dog and the full name of the pet owner. You may also need the owner's address and phone number. All services for registering a dog and issuing documents to the owner are paid.
It is imperative to keep the animal in proper sanitary and hygienic standards and not pollute the premises adjacent to the house (apartment). If this happens, the owner must also clean up after his pet.
Keeping animals for the purpose of making a profit from their further offspring is regulated by the rules for keeping and walking dogs in the Moscow city law “On keeping cats and dogs in the city of Moscow.”

Where can you walk your pet?

Your pet loves to walk in nature and you regularly take it with you everywhere. However, you should know that dogs are not allowed to go everywhere with their owner. Where can you walk your pet? You can get the answer to your question by reading the legal regulations for your city. They clearly indicate where you can walk your dog without a muzzle or leash. For this purpose, there are officially designated places - specialized areas intended for walking your animals. The rule applies throughout the Russian Federation.

Unfortunately, the real state of affairs differs significantly from the norms prescribed by law. You can’t often find such sites “during the day” even in large cities. What can we say about small provincial towns? What should animal owners do in this case? In order to walk your pet and not run into an administrative fine for violating the law, you must comply with Art. 7 (dog walking law). Key points:

Walk with your pet on a leash and muzzle. First of all, you need to ensure the safety of others.
Remove animal excrement and do not pollute the environment.
You must regulate your dog's behavior and control his actions.
Do not go to places where dogs are not allowed to be walked.
Vaccinate your animal against rabies and other diseases in a timely manner.
Do not use physical force on your pet. Cruelty to animals is unacceptable and is a criminal offense.

Free walking is allowed only on private territory belonging to the dog's owner. That is, you can freely walk your dog in your yard and no one has the right to present anything to you.
However, there are some nuances here too. There should be a sign on the gate stating that an evil dog is living with you, which can cause significant harm to human health and life.

Walking with the dog. Where and how?

The law clearly states how and where to walk dogs. Walking areas must comply with the following rules:

site area more than 400 sq.m.;
the site should be located in a remote area from residential buildings and institutions (40 and 25 meters, respectively);
It is prohibited to walk your pet in areas with a large flow of people.

Information

In megacities there are equipped areas for dogs. They have a specially marked sign on them. These sites provide areas for disposal of the dog’s natural needs.

The law contains regulations related to the norms of dog behavior . In apartment buildings, a dog does not have the right to wander aimlessly around the entrance without a leash or owner. She must be kept on a short leash. The same requirements apply to adjacent areas of a residential building and playgrounds. Large and dangerous breeds must wear a muzzle at all times during walks for the safety of people around them.

Having released the dog from the leash and removed the muzzle, the owner must be convinced that his dog will not harm others or cause harm to health and life. Puppies under three months of age and decorative breed dogs that do not exceed 25 cm at the withers are allowed to move without a leash or muzzle. If the dog bites someone, or an accident occurs due to the fault and participation of the dog, the owner will bear responsibility for the misunderstandings that occurred.

If a dog relieves itself in a place that is not intended for this purpose - an entrance or street, a children's playground, then the owner is obliged to clean up after it.

Warning

It is strictly forbidden for young children, elderly people, people with mental illness, or intoxicated to walk dogs.

As for dangerous breeds, additional safety measures must be taken, regardless of the location of the walk. Dangerous breeds should always be protected as much as possible from attacks on humans by a muzzle and on a leash. Of course, this does not apply to the territory of your place of residence.

It is prohibited to walk dangerous dogs for persons of the following categories:

young children;
persons who have not undergone special training;
people with injuries and limited mobility.

In which places is dog walking strictly prohibited?

You should know the list of places where, according to the law, you do not have the right to appear with your pet. The rules for walking pets were fixed in 2001 at the beginning of May.

Walking dogs is prohibited:

On specialized playgrounds for children.
On the territory of educational institutions (schools, universities, kindergartens and others).
On the territory of hospitals and clinics.
In places where there are large crowds of people (except for urban parks).
Sports and cultural institutions.

As you can see, there are not very many such places and you can adhere to the rules established by law.

What does the law say about walking dogs on the property?

Unfortunately, it is worth immediately taking into account that there is no separate law in the legislation that clearly regulates the rules of walking.
But there are laws that partially cover this issue, and it is according to them that the rights and obligations of citizens in this area are established. For example, the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, in Art. 137 indicates that property type rules apply to animals. At the same time, it is forbidden to show cruelty to animals; they are not furniture or an object, but living beings that must be taken care of. Pets are defined by law as objects of civil rights, on the basis of which various transactions can be carried out in relation to them (give as a gift, buy or sell, and so on). Such actions will not constitute violations of the law.

Since the beginning of 2020, there has also been a law that requires citizens to handle pets responsibly. This law describes several key points for all persons who decide to have dogs, and it also covers issues of walking them.

On the positive side, the law has introduced some relaxations for animal owners. For example, a muzzle is no longer required when walking at intersections of the roadway with other areas of the territory (for example, playgrounds for children), just a leash is enough.

But this does not apply to fighting type dogs, they are dangerous and require a muzzle when walking, because even a trained dog can be provoked by another person.

In addition, this law establishes the following obligations for people:

Ensure safety when walking the animal . This requirement must be especially carefully observed in playgrounds, because young citizens are very vulnerable both physically and mentally.
Pet vaccination . Effective vaccination is carried out every year and is an extremely important measure, because animals on the street are susceptible to various diseases. The most dangerous thing is rabies, which can subsequently negatively affect people.
Attach contact information to the collar so that if the pet is lost, the owner can be contacted.
Keep the environment clean . If a pet poops in a place other than where it was allowed, citizens must immediately remove waste products. Failure to comply with such actions will result in an administrative fine.

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Is it prohibited to walk dogs in the local area?

It is prohibited to leave animal waste products on the adjacent territory; this will result in a fine. Walking animals in the area near your home is acceptable, but there are some restrictions that citizens must comply with in order to avoid additional fines.

When is a leash necessary?

A leash is required in any case if you walk your dog in public places. Failure to comply with this rule is punishable by law enforcement authorities by imposing a fine. This is considered an administrative violation on your part. The amount of the fine is established by the legislation of the Russian Federation.

You don't have to be the owner of a large breed dog; these rules also apply to owners of small breeds.

What should a dog leash be like?

Of course, there is no generally accepted official standard for leashes, however, the dog’s collar and leash must meet the following requirements:

The dog leash must be appropriate for the breed of the animal.
Experts recommend a leash one and a half meters long. This way, you can control your dog’s behavior and provide him with conditions for safe walking. Owners of pit bull terriers and other fighting dog breeds should especially adhere to this rule.
The leash and collar must be durable and made of quality materials. The ideal option would be leather accessories for walking. You can purchase them at any local pet store.
Persons under 14 years of age and people under the influence of alcohol are not allowed to walk large breed dogs. Since the former simply will not be able to keep their pet on a leash in case of aggressive behavior, and the latter will not be able to adequately perceive the situation and control the actions of their animal.

Muzzle for an animal: when to wear

Dog lovers shout that a muzzle is inhumane and unnatural for a dog. But how do things work in practice? Let's figure out why you need to put a muzzle on a dog:

To ensure the safety of others.
To protect other dogs and animals in general from possible attacks.
Ensure the safety of the animal itself. There are dog hunters (dog hunters) who set all sorts of deadly traps for your pets. A muzzle will prevent your dog from eating the deadly poison that is hidden in an attractive treat.

When to wear a muzzle

If your dog weighs more than 5 kg, then wearing a muzzle in public places is mandatory. There is a list of the most dangerous dog breeds. They can only walk with a muzzle. The appearance of your dog without it threatens with a serious fine and promises great trouble for the owner.

Basic requirements for the product

Ensure the safety of the animal. The muzzle must be of high quality and allow air to pass through well. A product in which the dog is able to fully open its mouth is considered good.
Choose a muzzle of the appropriate size to ensure the safety of others.

If you are the owner of a small decorative breed (for example, Yorkie), you can visit with your pet all places that are strictly prohibited for walking, holding it in your arms and not letting it go to the floor. Don't let your dog roam freely, but keep him in your arms at all times.

What dogs are fighting breeds?

Fighting dogs are dogs that specialize in dog fighting and were bred for the purpose of participating in fights. These dogs include

American Pit Bull Terrier (popularly called pit bull).
English Mastiff. It is huge in size and massive in weight.
Dogue de Bordeaux. It has a powerful body and strong muscles.
Bull Terrier. Always ready to engage in battle with the enemy.
English and French bulldogs. They resist to the last, are distinguished by incredible endurance and hold their own in fights.
Shar Pei. It has a thick, almost invulnerable skin.

If you are the owner of a dog of one of these breeds, then you are required to walk your four-legged friend only with a muzzle and a leash. If your pet is seen without a muzzle in a public place, you will have to pay a considerable fine.

This is what the law on keeping dogs says.

Responsibility of the dog owner

Fines and their amounts

The Administrative Code of the Russian Federation defines a whole list of penalties for non-compliance with dog walking rules. For example, the fine for uncollected dog excrement varies from one to two thousand Russian rubles. There are a lot of traces of a dog's vital activity, isn't it?

Also, the dog owner can be punished with a fine for the too loud sounds that his dog makes. That is, if you live in an apartment and your neighbors complain about your dog’s constant barking, it is likely that such behavior of the pet will entail a fine.

If the rules for transporting an animal in public transport are violated (the presence of a muzzle and a leash), a fine is paid in the prescribed amount - from 500 to 1 thousand rubles.

If you did not control the behavior of your animal and it attacked a person, be so kind as to pay a fine of 5 thousand Russian rubles.

If you behave aggressively and provoke the same behavior in your dog, the fine varies from 5 to 10 thousand rubles.

If another animal died from the paws of your pet, you will have to pay 5 thousand rubles.

These fines are set for individuals. If you are a legal entity or an official, the fine will increase tenfold.

Why is a dog owner punishable by criminal liability?

If you deliberately set your dog on a person and your dog caused serious bodily harm to the victim (or, God forbid, it ended in death), then you bear criminal liability and severe punishment for your actions. The punishment will be determined by the trial. You will be held liable under Articles 111, 112 or 115 depending on the severity of the harm caused.

You may also be charged with Article 118 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Contents of Article 118:

Causing grave harm through negligence:

Punishable by a fine in ruble equivalent up to 80 thousand.
Mandatory types of work for up to 480 hours.
Correctional labor, the maximum duration of which is two years.
Deprivation of liberty. The maximum prison term is six months.
In case of death, imprisonment for up to three years is possible.