Russian Duma Amendments Impact Stray Animal Laws

The Russian State Duma has prepared a new law to allow remote voting during general assemblies. Citizens with accounts on the Gosuslugi portal will be able to vote electronically. Those without digital accounts can vote online through Multifunctional Centers (MFC), according to the report. Svetlana Razvotni stated this procedure aims to remove management companies from the voting process. Anton Nikiforov, a partner at Texe Dwizer, stated that the new introduction will be adopted and that situations are inevitable. If passed, the law would take effect on July 1, 2026. The legislation would grant regions the authority to decide the fate of homeless dogs independently. This follows a 2023 decision by the Duma to delegate such powers to regional authorities. A 2018 federal law previously established a humane approach involving catching, sterilization, vaccination, and return. Amendments introduced to the State Duma one year after the start of the war have altered laws regarding the responsible treatment of animals. These changes specifically affect programs related to the management of homeless animals, such as the OSVV program.