Anvar Tuychiev, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water Management, and Ecology, has sent a senatorial inquiry to Tashkent Mayor Shavkat Umurzakov, requesting information on the condition of shelters for stray animals in the capital.

The document was prepared shortly after an open appeal by animal rights activist Maxim Ostrovetsky, who proposed reforming the current system for handling stray animals.

Ostrovetsky suggested implementing a humane "Capture, Sterilize, Vaccinate, Release" (CSVR) system nationwide. He also proposed creating a network of shelters based on public-private partnerships and strengthening penalties for animal cruelty.

The senator requested data on the number and capacity of shelters, funding levels for this sector, coordination among responsible agencies, support for initiatives by non-governmental non-profit organizations and animal rights activists, as well as future work plans.

The existing infrastructure does not fully meet current needs. Additionally, deficiencies have been identified in the work of services responsible for capturing and housing stray animals. Cases of cruel treatment of animals by "individual citizens" of the country have been recorded.

In recent years, the issue of stray animal care has remained pressing. Activists and civil society representatives often establish shelters using their own funds, provide care for animals, and conduct vaccination and treatment.

The issue of humane treatment has been raised previously at the parliamentary level. Specifically, in 2022, former deputy Elena Babenko proposed amending Article 50 of the Constitution to include a norm obliging citizens to treat living beings humanely.

Babenko also advocated for developing a comprehensive legal framework in this area—with clear definitions of the status of shelters, temporary holding facilities, and centers. The need for a separate law designating an authorized body and systematically regulating animal care and stray population control was emphasized.

Source: kun.uz