A five-year-old child suffered multiple bites after being attacked by a pack of stray dogs in Uralsk on the evening of 17 May. The boy was taken to hospital, where he received stitches and the necessary vaccinations.
HOW THE ATTACK HAPPENED
According to the child's mother, Nazgul Sandybayeva, the boy was playing in the yard of the house when several dogs set upon him. The woman claims a neighbour who heard the screams rescued the child from the animals, reports the publication "My City".
"There is literally a mark on every part of my five-year-old son's body: the dogs severely bit his thigh, tore his back, and bit his hands and fingers," Nazgul said.
According to her, the child received numerous wounds and is currently under medical observation.
WHAT THE AKIMAT OF URALSK SAID
The Uralsk Akimat stated that work on the capture, sterilisation, vaccination, identification, and temporary keeping of stray animals is carried out in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Responsible Treatment of Animals".
According to the akimat, since the beginning of April, 283 stray animals have been captured in the city. Of these, 205 dogs and cats were returned to their natural habitat after sterilisation, vaccination, and identification. A further 78 previously identified animals received repeat vaccinations and were also returned to the streets.
The akimat emphasised that the captures are carried out using humane methods and based on monitoring of areas where animals gather, as well as on reports from residents.
City authorities also urged pet owners to comply with the rules for keeping and walking their animals and not to allow them to roam the streets unsupervised.
HOW MANY BITES HAVE BEEN RECORDED
According to the Sanitary and Epidemiological Service, five cases of bites were recorded in the city in April. Following residents' reports, two animals were placed in quarantine.
Meanwhile, the mother of the injured child stated that local residents regularly encounter aggressive packs of dogs near homes and playgrounds.
WHY THE SITUATION CAUSED PUBLIC OUTCRY
The incident in the West Kazakhstan Region (WKR) occurred against the backdrop of discussions on changes to legislation regarding stray animals in Kazakhstan.
On 19 May 2026, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed amendments to the Law "On Responsible Treatment of Animals". Under the changes, the country is abandoning the CNVR model — «capture, neuter, vaccinate, release» — and switching to a system of non-returnable capture.
Previously, the Uralsk akimat entered into a contract for the capture of stray animals with Orken LLP, whose main line of business is listed as meat processing and canning. The value of the contract was 9 million 396 thousand tenge.
According to the technical specifications, the contractor must handle the capture of animals, their transport to temporary holding facilities, and their euthanasia. By the end of the year, the capture of approximately 2,000 animals is planned.