Experts explained the consequences of introducing pet accounting in Russia

The Russian government has ordered the creation of a pet accounting system starting in 2026. As the interviewed lawyers explained to Izvestia on July 16, the measure is aimed at strengthening control over owners and combating the anonymous use of animals, including in cases of abuse and legal disputes.

Yuri Levin, a lawyer at the Branch of the 1st Moscow Regional Bar Association (MOCA), a member of the Council of Young Lawyers of the Moscow Region (SMA MO), noted that the introduction of such a system had long been discussed and was overdue both from a legal and social point of view.

"The introduction of the state pet registration system (registry) is long overdue and has been constantly discussed by society and the media. As with any innovation, such a solution has pros and cons," Levin said.

He added that the positive aspects include the possibility of identifying a pet, returning it to the owner in case of loss, as well as establishing the owner of the animal if harm has been caused. According to the expert, in the future, it will probably be possible to add medical information about the animal to the chip.

Among the disadvantages, the lawyer called the mandatory chipping and the lack of reliable information about its cost. According to him, control over the implementation of the initiative is likely to be entrusted to the Rosselkhoznadzor.

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According to lawyer Yana Vorobyeva, the idea of accounting is a step towards systematizing an area that has been outside legislative regulation for a long time. Thus, a unified pet accounting information system will be created, where information about pets and their owners will be recorded.

"So far, the accounting mechanism has not been detailed at the level of federal law, but most likely it will be through chipmaking, which is already being used in several regions (for example, the Moscow Region). That is, when chipping, data about the pet and its owner will be entered into a special digital database. Further, when providing services for vaccination, sterilization or medical examination, the relevant information can automatically enter the system," Vorobyova explained.

According to the lawyer, there are no penalties for refusal of registration yet, but in the future administrative measures may appear, as well as restrictions on access to veterinary services and government programs. Vorobyova also noted that the registry will help to find the owners of lost animals faster and will become proof of ownership in controversial situations and strengthen protection against abuse.

On July 7, the Russian government signed an action plan to tighten responsibility for the treatment of pets. It clarifies that the plan includes the development and submission to the government of drafts of a number of federal laws, including the regulation of activities "for the maintenance and breeding of domestic and wild animals, as well as the introduction of a system to respond to citizens' complaints about animals causing harm to life and health or the threat of its infliction.