The animal welfare organization "Mehr va Oqibat" (Compassion and Consequence), based in Tashkent, announced that the Ministry of Justice has refused to register a comprehensive project aimed at regulating the population of domestic and stray animals across Uzbekistan. According to the organization, the initiative, despite being supported by an international grant from the Global Environment Facility's Small Grants Programme, was denied official registration approval.
The project planned to establish a unified database for cats and dogs nationwide, as well as chip approximately 15,000 domestic and shelter animals. Additionally, it included educational meetings with pet owners in 40 mahallas (neighborhoods) of Tashkent city and Tashkent region, sterilization of over 600 cats and dogs, and the provision of scanners to district veterinary clinics, shelters, mahalla representatives, and animal capture services.
Representatives of "Mehr va Oqibat" emphasized that the project also involved training more than 20 students and veterinarians in sterilization methods and conducting a media campaign on the importance of chipping and sterilization. The organization stated that chipping and sterilization are recognized worldwide as effective measures for controlling stray animal populations.
The organization further reported that it has submitted documents to transition to a republican level, aiming to operate not only within a single region but across the entire country. This move is intended to expand their impact on a national scale.
This incident highlights ongoing challenges in animal protection legislation and practices in Uzbekistan. Previously, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agricultural, Water Management, and Environmental Issues, Anvar Tuychiev, sent a senatorial inquiry to Tashkent Mayor Shavkat Umurzakov, requesting data on the number and capacity of shelters, funding volumes, inter-agency cooperation, and support for initiatives by non-governmental organizations and animal rights activists.
Source: kun.uz