Dog maintenance cost in Tatarstan can reach almost half a million rubles
According to the results of the animal census in 2023, there are about 120,000 dogs in Tatarstan. However, only 13,800 have been registered over 8 years.
According to the results of the animal census in 2023, there are about 120,000 dogs in Tatarstan. Voluntary registration of pets has been taking place since 2015, but only 13,800 animals have been registered over 8 years, which is about 11% of the annual number in the republic — this leads to a large number of lost pets, irresponsible owners and stray dogs. Read about what they are going to do about this and how much it will cost to keep a pet in general in a report of Realnoe Vremya.
“Voluntary registration is becoming less and less popular”
Voluntary registration of animals is becoming less and less popular, despite the fact that it can now be done on the public services website, emphasised deputy head of the Main Veterinary Office of the Cabinet of Ministers Ildar Nugumanov. According to him, a law is needed to solve this problem that will make registration mandatory.
Administrative liability is provided for improper maintenance
Due to the current situation, from 2025 in Tatarstan, voluntary registration of dogs will become mandatory, and fines will be introduced for violating the rules for keeping them.
According to the bills:
- from 1 January 2025, voluntary registration of dogs will become mandatory;
- from 1 July 2025, fines will be introduced for violating the rules for keeping pets, including lack of registration.
The meeting discussed fines for the following violations:
- leaving the dog outside the territory belonging to the owner;
- keeping pets in common areas of blocks of flats;
- absence of registration of the dog.
Today, a draft law developed by the Main Veterinary Office of Tatarstan was submitted for an anti-corruption inspection. It introduces an article on the violation of additional requirements for keeping pets, including walking them, into the regional Code of Administrative Offenses.
According to it, “allowing a dog to independently go beyond the territory belonging to the dog owner by right of ownership or other legal basis” entails a warning or a fine of 2,000 to 4,000. The same restrictions are imposed for “keeping pets in common areas of apartment buildings and on their adjacent territories” and “failure of the dog owner to carry out mandatory registration of the dog.” The fine for a repeated violation will be 5,000 rubles.
“The bill is aimed at increasing the responsibility of pet owners and creating a more comfortable and safe environment for residents of the republic. The issues of reducing the number of stray animals remain socially significant for most subjects of the country; they [dogs] are born at home and then become stray,” said the deputy head of the Main Veterinary Office.
The project will help find lost animals and identify their owners. Administrative liability is provided for improper maintenance. According to experts from the Veterinary Office, the initiative will reduce the number of homeless dogs, make it easier to find owners and increase social responsibility.
To register your pet, you can contact any state or private veterinary clinic. There, the dog will be inserted a special tracking chip and a registration record will be made with information about the owner and pet.
If the dog dies, the record will be disabled, and if the pet moves or is sold, it will be transferred to the new owner. The cost of installing a chip can range from 115 to 300 rubles, Nugumanov explained. In the future, it is possible that the initiative will be extended to cats and other pets.
The maximum amount you can invest in a dog is 469,700 rubles
In order to get a new pet, you will initially need an average of 16,000 rubles, not counting the price of the dog itself and the cost of medical services. Realnoe Vremya calculated how much it costs to keep a pet today based on data from one of the marketplaces.
Depending on the owner's preferences and financial capabilities, expenses can vary greatly. For example, the maximum amount you can invest in providing for your pet is 469,700 rubles. If you save, the budget option will cost 3,000 rubles.
When purchasing goods for your faithful friend, without denying him anything, you can buy:
- a feeder with video communication and Wi-Fi control;
- equipment with a special system of tactical bibs for large breeds, which will ensure stability;
- a bed with monograms, which will not only be a decoration but will also be able to cool the pet in the hot season.
The rest of the products are not much different from more budget alternatives.
After saving money, the owner will provide the pet with a soft rug instead of a spacious bed, special soap instead of shampoo, an ordinary plastic bowl and a small back backpack that can accommodate the pet.
Most often, products are bought for small dog breeds, the owners treat them more like children or a kind of dolls dressing them up and pampering them with toys.
“These are toys, accessories, clothes, and more for small dogs than for large ones, because dogs have a more utilitarian purpose, especially here in Tatarstan — the dog must guard. There are not so many small dogs, but the main purchases are made mostly for them, that is, they want to somehow dress them up, decorate them, buy some shoes to go with their clothes,” owner of Kovcheg chain of pet stores Roman Mudarisov shared with Realnoe Vremya.