The edge of humanity: what is the punishment for cruelty to animals

World Animal Protection Day is celebrated on October 4. On the responsibility for violation of the rules of keeping pets correspondent of the agency “Minsk-Novosti” told the judge of the Minsk city court Vera Golovkova.

A moral and humane attitude towards an animal is the recognition of its right to live without pain and suffering, as well as the acceptance of personal responsibility for its fate.

“The Law of the Republic of Belarus of 01.04.2024 No. 361-Z “On Responsible Treatment of Animals” established that the treatment of animals is based on the principles of ensuring the rights and legitimate interests of individuals, including individual entrepreneurs and legal entities; moral and humane attitude to animals as creatures capable of experiencing feelings and physical suffering; responsibility of owners for the life and health of pets; ensuring the protection of animals from cruel treatment and getting rid of them,” Golovkova said. It is important to legislate education of citizens in the field of proper treatment of animals, education of moral and humane attitude to them as creatures capable of experiencing feelings and physical suffering, ensuring the rights and legitimate interests of individuals when treating pets, preventing cruel treatment of them, as well as a ban on propaganda and calls for cruel treatment of animals.

According to the judge, the treatment of an animal is understood as the commission of actions (inaction) in relation to a pet that have or may have an impact on its life and health, including the maintenance, use, as well as the performance of transactions in which they are the subject.

The main duties of their owners are: handling the animal without violating the rights and legitimate interests of others; taking the necessary safety measures to prevent harm to pets; conducting veterinary measures.

- Unfortunately, some citizens, having taken an animal, do not understand the full responsibility not only for its content, but also for ensuring the safety of other persons, Golovkova said. Administrative responsibility for violation of the order of keeping pet companions at home may be brought to a citizen who has reached the age of 16 by the time of committing the offense, for ill-treatment - from 14 years, to criminal - from 16 years.

In Minsk for 2025 and for 9 months of 2026, 16 citizens were brought to administrative responsibility for violation of the order of keeping companion animals at home, which caused harm to human health or property, for cruelty to animals - 6, criminal liability - 4.

Violation of the procedure for keeping companion animals at home

The rules for keeping pet dogs and cats, as well as catching stray animals in settlements, approved by the Council of Ministers of 04.06.2001 No. 834, established that their owners are obliged to notify the rural, settlement, district, city (cities of regional and district subordination) executive committee, the local administration of the district in the city, as well as the veterinary institution at the place of permanent residence, including their acquisition, as well as timely make the fees established for dog owners. It is forbidden to keep unregistered animals.

- In other words, the animal must be registered, otherwise an administrative penalty is threatened under Part 1 of Art. 19.15 of the Administrative Code, and the quarterly payment of tax for dog ownership is also established, which is included in the payment for housing and communal services (Chapter 29 of the Tax Code). It should be noted that a certain category of citizens (Article 309-1 of the Tax Code) is exempt from paying this tax, however, administrative liability is provided for its non-payment under Article 14.4 of the Administrative Code.

Since the above rules regulate other obligations for keeping companion animals at home, administrative liability for their non-compliance is provided for under Article 19.15 of the Administrative Code, which provides for penalties in the form of a fine of up to 30 basic values, or community service, or administrative arrest.

Thus, the owner of the American Staffordshire Terrier was subjected to an administrative penalty in the form of a fine to the state in the amount of 10 BV (450 BYN) for violating the Procedure for keeping companion animals at home, established by paragraph 2.2 paragraph 2 of article 12 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus of 01.04.2024 No. 361-3 “On Responsible Treatment of Animals”. She did not take the necessary safety measures to prevent her dog from harming the life and health of other citizens, as a result of which she bit a person in a public place on the back of the thigh.

Cruelty to animals (except torture) that does not result in death or injury

Under cruel treatment of a pet, entailing administrative responsibility, is understood intentional torture, infliction of bodily harm, inciting animals against each other, entailing harm to health, including injury or injury, or their death, as well as violation of the conditions of detention, leading to exhaustion of the pet's body. In addition, liability may arise for other actions, including for inaction that caused harm to animal health.

For example, a resident of the capital left his breedless dog on a leash outside the store for more than 16 hours. The animal had no access to water and food, it was muzzled, which limited breathing, thermoregulation and exposed to adverse conditions. The owner was brought to administrative responsibility for animal cruelty and was punished with a fine.

Deliverance

Getting rid of animals means the termination of their maintenance without transferring them to new owners or surrendering them to a temporary detention center, shelter, as well as if in case of disappearance of registered pets, their owners have not filed a statement of disappearance within three days to the organization that registers dogs and cats. In this case, the place of permanent residence of the animal is considered to be the place used by its owner, including a closed (fenced) territory where it is constantly kept for most of the day.

One animal owner was subjected to an administrative penalty in the form of a fine of 20 BV for disposing of two cats and three kittens belonging to him, which he left near the entrance to the basement of one of the houses, thereby stopping their maintenance without transferring them to new owners, or surrendering them to a temporary detention center or shelter.

Cruelty to an animal, expressed in its torture, or resulting in death or injury

Torture of an animal is the deliberate infliction of prolonged pain or torture by systematic beatings, sectioning, strangulation, tying of limbs or otherwise.

Injury of a pet is damage associated with a violation of its anatomical integrity, or causing damage to the appearance, functions of the body, or leading to a disorder of the psyche and behavior.

So, a citizen, being at the place of residence, intentionally struck a foot on the body of a guinea pig and her puppy, causing damage in the form of a closed craniocerebral injury, accompanied by hemorrhage in the brain as a result of mechanical trauma, rupture of the liver, incompatible with life, fracture of the hip of the hind limb, which led to their death. The man was subjected to an administrative penalty in the form of community service for 40 hours.

Criminal liability

It comes up for cruel treatment of an animal, which entailed its death or injury, committed from hooligan, selfish or other base motives or in the presence of a known minor, as well as committed repeatedly or by a group of persons, and is established by Art. 339 of the Criminal Code. The sanction of this article provides for penalties of arrest, restriction or imprisonment for up to 4 years. Increased criminal liability entails the above actions committed repeatedly or by a group of persons.

Thus, a Minsk woman was sentenced to punishment in the form of restriction of freedom without sending her to an open-type correctional institution for a period of 1 year 6 months, who intentionally threw a Chihuahua belonging to her friend from the window of a room located on the ninth floor, which caused the death of a dog in a state of alcoholic intoxication.

Another citizen, being in a public place, out of hooligan motives, forcibly held four pigeons in turn. He struck them many blows with his hands and feet, threw them on pavement slabs, the ground and against the wall, and also swirled their heads with his hands, which led to the death of birds. The result is a punishment in the form of restriction of freedom without sending to the IWOT for a period of 1 year 6 months.

- Since most cases of animal cruelty go to court thanks to caring citizens who record bullying on video, call the police and agree to act as witnesses, no one should stand aside, becoming an eyewitness to this, said Golovkova. If you cannot stop such illegal actions yourself, then be sure to report them to law enforcement agencies, since animal protection is an indicator of the moral maturity of society and a manifestation of true humanity.