Residents of Bishkek — pet owners — are distributing on social media the text of an appeal to City Hall officials and City Council deputies with a request to revise the rules for keeping pets and grazing livestock in the capital.
The draft document suggests a range of restrictions, including:
- Banning the release of dogs for unsupervised free-roaming;
- Prohibiting the keeping and walking of dogs and cats in public spaces such as restaurants, retail shops, service businesses, parks, public gardens, markets, beaches, playgrounds, and other public areas;
- Banning the keeping of dogs and cats in dormitories, hostels, small family hostels and hotel-type apartments with a common entrance and exit;
- Preventing dog and cat ownership in multi-story buildings when neighbors have medical contraindications (e.g., allergies);
- Banning the transportation of dogs on public transport or in elevators, except for guide dogs;
- Prohibiting walking dogs under the influence of alcohol;
- Banning the feeding of stray animals to avoid increasing their population and creating potential hazards;
- Forbidding the abandonment of dogs and cats, as well as their litters, on city streets;
- Banning the training of dogs for fighting purposes (except for service dogs owned by state institutions).
The petition’s authors argue that instead of creating a framework for comfortable and safe cohabitation with pets, the rules are made up entirely of prohibitions, offering «no constructive solutions.»
City residents point out the complete lack of infrastructure for pet owners.
«The document states that walking dogs is prohibited in parks, public gardens, on playgrounds, and on the territory of educational or medical facilities. However, no designated areas are mentioned where this is allowed. The city lacks specialized zones where pet owners can walk their dogs while adhering to the regulations. Dog owners are just as much a part of Bishkek’s community as anyone else. We pay taxes, respect the law, and care for the environment. But in reality, we are being pushed out of all public spaces without being offered alternatives. This infringes on our civil rights and creates a sense of isolation,» the petition reads.
Additionally, the petition notes that the draft does not propose any support measures for pet owners. There is no mention of sterilization programs, subsidized registration, or educational initiatives—only prohibitions and fines.
Residents are asking:
- To revise the draft resolution taking into account the interests of all groups of citizens;
- To develop and approve a map of walking areas, including the creation of specialized sites in each district of the city;
- To conduct an open dialogue with Bishkek residents, including representatives of animal owner communities, when developing such documents;
- To include in the draft measures of support and responsibility for owners, and not just repressive measures.
«The city is a space for everyone. People with dogs are not violators, but an integral part of urban life. We want to live in a friendly environment where we can legally walk our pets without fear of fines or aggression. We are ready to follow the rules, but only if they are reasonable, fair, and supported by real possibilities,» the petition concludes.
