Surprise Prepared For Owners Of Cats, Dogs In Belarus

It will be forbidden to keep unchipped animals.

Chipping of dogs and cats may become mandatory in Belarus. Such a norm is laid down in the draft law "On Responsible Treatment of Animals," which was submitted to the "house of representatives". Its text is published in the database of draft laws of the National Legal Internet Portal.

The bill states that the owner of a dog or cat will have to chip pets within 14 days of their purchase, if this has not been done earlier. Owners of kennels and breeders will have to chip puppies and kittens within 14 days of their reaching the age of 4 months, if such animals are not sold.

Dogs and cats will be chipped by legal entities and sole proprietors engaged in veterinary activities, cynological and felinological organisations.

The order of chipping, as well as the creation, maintenance and use of the data bank of chipped animals will be determined by the Council of Ministers.

It will be prohibited to keep animals that are not chipped.

Owners of dogs and cats, which were registered before the adoption of the law, will be chipped on a voluntary basis. If the animals were not registered, they will have to be chipped within three years from the date of entry into force of the law.

If dogs and cats die, their owners will have to notify the organisation involved in animal registration within 10 days.

There are other innovations in the draft. For example, cats and dogs will not be allowed to walk on children's playgrounds, and it will be necessary to walk them in the city only in special places. It is also supposed to prohibit to walk pets by drunk owners.

The bill has not yet been considered by the "house of representatives". If it is eventually passed, its main provisions will come into force six months after publication.