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The State Duma has begun considering a bill on mandatory registration and labeling of animals. Who exactly they plan to label and why, and what amendments are being prepared for the law, Vladimir Burmatov, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Ecology, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the State Duma, spoke in an interview with the MIR 24 TV channel.

- What is the essence of the bill?

Vladimir Burmatov: Now the bill that was introduced by the government of the Russian Federation and which is being considered by the State Duma in the first reading, concerns the registration of farm animals only. It does not yet apply to cats, dogs, or other pets. These are amendments to the legislation on veterinary medicine, which was prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, and today they are completely devoted to farm animals.

To be honest, we don't really agree with this approach. Because, from my point of view, we, citizens who own animals, have a need to register dogs and cats. Because, for example, if our animal is lost, we cannot find it. When the catch service catches them, how to set the owner? There is no such possibility today.

We are conscientious owners. For example, I adopted a dog from a shelter. For some reason, we are responsible for negligent owners who get rid of pets, throw them away. We are all taxpayers and pay for the existence of shelters for stray animals. Why are we paying for them? Those who got rid of the animals must pay for this, they must pay fines. And how to determine who, in fact, is this irresponsible owner who got rid of the animal? Registration required.

We are all interested in the fact that the owner, who did not watch his dog, could be held accountable if his animal attacked a person or another animal. But today there is no such possibility in the absence of registration of dogs.

We are in a paradoxical situation. Everyone needs registration of pets, but today the government, unfortunately, only says that they plan to register farm animals - cows, pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, etc. Even the bees are going to be registered. And our 60 million cats and dogs have not reached the hands again. We consider this to be fundamentally wrong, I will definitely introduce an amendment to this law by the second reading, which will make it possible to register pets too.

- What is the difficulty in expanding all this to include domestic animals, why have you stopped only on farm animals so far?

Vladimir Burmatov: I said that this is a government bill and it was introduced by the government. As a deputy, I formulate my position that the text of this bill does not suit me today. Because the interests of 60 million of our citizens, most of the families that own cats and dogs, are excluded there.

- Where is it planned to store information about each animal and who will keep this record?

Vladimir Burmatov: Accounting will be maintained by Rosselkhoznadzor, information will be stored in the state information system of Rosselkhoznadzor. But once again I want to repeat that while all this is designed only for farm animals, which, from my point of view, is wrong. Starting from 2015, according to the current legislation, both cats and dogs should have been registered in our country for a long time. Until now, the infrastructure for this, unfortunately, has not been created. This creates a lot of problems for us, pet owners. From my point of view, this state information system should be expanded to include pets. And the fact that today it is designed only for farm animals is a very one-sided and wrong position.

- Is there any understanding, at least technically, of how animals will be marked?

Vladimir Burmatov: The law stipulates that labeling will be carried out by applying relevant data to animals. This, as a rule, is a brand or a tattoo, or the implantation of an appropriate data carrier, that is, chipping. Or some related option, tag.

But this is only for farm animals. Our task is to enable a person to register both a cat and a dog. The amendment that I will definitely prepare for this bill will imply that registration of pets should be free. At first, I think it should be voluntary. Let the Ministry of Agriculture and Rosselkhoznadzor first build the infrastructure, do everything efficiently, so that everything works like clockwork. Further, we can talk about the fact that this process from voluntary becomes universal and mandatory.