- President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed animal welfare amendments on May 19, 2026, transitioning to a “no-return capture” model for stray animals.
- Strays face potential euthanasia after a minimum holding period of five days; animals with potential owners are held up to 60 days.
- New rules increase liability for pet owners, requiring compensation for damages caused by their animals.
- Over 115,000 citizens publicly opposed the law, raising concerns about animal welfare and lack of previous enforcement.
Official Justification
- Lawmakers cite rising stray dog populations: captured animals increased from approximately 243,574 in 2022 to 276,282 by early 2026.
- Bite incidents requiring medical treatment rose to over 41,000 in 2025, compared to 38,800 in 2024.
- Supporters highlight severe incidents, such as a June 2025 attack on a child in Zhalpaksay by two fighting dogs, as evidence that current policies fail to protect the public.
Criticisms and Data Discrepancies
- Animal rights groups, including the KARE Foundation, argue that previous 2021 legislation failed not because of the policy, but because of non-implementation.
- Statistics show that only 13 percent of caught dogs were sterilized by 2025, while nearly 85 percent were euthanized.
- Data from Almaty in 2025 reveals that only 10 percent of recorded animal bites involved strays, while the vast majority were caused by owned, roaming pets.
- Activists advocate for better shelter funding, widespread sterilization, and mandatory pet registration rather than mass culling.
Implementation and Oversight
- Responsibility for population control is now delegated to local government bodies (maslikhats and akimats).
- Decisions to euthanize must be supported by a veterinarian’s certificate.
- Future outcomes will depend on local enforcement and public transparency, with activists warning that the law might inadvertently lead to the culling of claimed pets or neglected animals.