A debate has intensified in Kazakhstan over the rules regulating the capture and keeping of stray animals. Representatives of animal welfare organisations and members of parliament hold opposing positions on the issue of euthanasia and funding for this area.
POSITION OF ANIMAL WELFARE ACTIVISTS
Maria Grebenkina, head of the 'Stop Capture' Foundation, criticised a norm proposed in the Mazhilis, announced by MP Yedil Zhanbyrshin, reports Nege.kz. In her view, euthanasia does not solve the problem of stray animals and could potentially make the situation worse.
She also pointed out the risks of abuse: in her opinion, in some cases, measures might only be recorded in reports without the actual capture of animals.
"It is impossible to reduce the number of street animals by killing them. Euthanasia is a path to corruption. There is a risk that some will not capture animals but will simply report on paper that euthanasia has supposedly been carried out, while the dogs continue to roam the streets. And if the vaccination of animals is cancelled, people will have to be mass-vaccinated against rabies," said Maria Grebenkina.
WHAT ALTERNATIVES ARE BEING PROPOSED
According to the activist, the most effective measure is a comprehensive approach, including:
- sterilisation,
- vaccination,
- population control without euthanasia.
She also emphasises the need to strengthen the responsibility of pet owners and coordinate the work of the state and animal welfare organisations.
THE FINANCIAL ASPECT OF THE DISPUTE
MP Yedil Zhanbyrshin, who supports euthanasia, stated that keeping one animal costs up to 74,000 tenge, and these funds, in his opinion, should be directed towards social needs, including support for children.
In turn, Grebenkina provides different calculations: according to her data, daily expenses amount to around 900 tenge per animal, including food, utilities, and staff salaries. With five days of keeping, the total reaches approximately 4,500 tenge.
The annual funding for the centre is about 68 million tenge, while monthly expenses reach 15–20 million tenge, which, she says, is insufficient for proper functioning.
HOW THE MINISTRY EXPLAINS ITS POSITION
Olzhabek Kholov, chief expert of the Committee for Forestry and Wildlife of the Ministry of Ecology, explained that the proposed norms do not mandate euthanasia after 5 days.
During this period, the animal can be transferred to a new owner or sent to a shelter. If necessary, local executive bodies have the right to extend this period.
According to him, euthanasia is applied to sick or aggressive animals. However, healthy animals that have not found an owner within the set period may also be subject to this measure.
HOW MUCH FUNDING IS ALLOCATED TO SHELTERS
There are 198 animal shelters operating in Kazakhstan. Funding for this area is increasing:
- in 2018–2019 — up to 1 billion tenge,
- in 2025 — about 2.5 billion tenge,
- in 2026 — 3.5 billion tenge is planned.
The ministry states that the adoption of the new norms could reduce budget spending on this area by 2–3 times, which, in turn, will affect shelter revenues.
CONTEXT
The discussion is linked to a bill approved by the Mazhilis, with amendments to the Law "On Responsible Treatment of Animals", which changes the approach to regulating animal numbers in Kazakhstan.
The document introduces the possibility of euthanasia, revises the priority of sterilisation, and sets minimum keeping periods: 5 days for stray animals and 60 days for animals with a possible owner. After this, euthanasia is permitted if the animal has not been rehomed.
The norm regarding mandatory vaccination at state expense is also removed — responsibility is shifted to future owners.