Mongolia Introduces First-Ever Animal Rights Law in Move To Protect Dogs & Cats
The landmark legislation will ban the controversial shooting of homeless dogs for population control, and also grant legal protections for companion animals.
Mongolia has introduced its first-ever animal rights law in a move that campaigners are calling a “landmark achievement” for the global animal rights movement.
The newly-passed legislation known as the Pet Law, aims to offer new legal protection for street animals and companion animals in the Asian country which is situated between China to the north and Russia to the south.
Homeless cats and dogs in Mongolia have long faced deadly conditions. Government-run programmes have funded annual culls of street animals through shootings and poisonings which saw around 100,000 stray dogs killed each year. Such operations reportedly cost taxpayers an estimated $450,000 annually.
Now, the Pet Law signals a new direction towards animal welfare by banning the shooting of stray animals, and instead encouraging all levels of government to prioritize humane spay and neuter programmes to reduce the population of homeless animals.
A member of the Lucky Paws legal team presents the Pet Act to the State Great Khural. Photo: Lucky Paws
The country’s capital city of Ulaanbaatar is said to have around 70,000 street animals alone. This large population will require significant efforts to humanely manage, but other new rules included in the Pet Law will help address the situation too.
These include a ban on the sale of dogs and cats at pet shops, as well as a clamp down on breeders. Breeders will have to obtain a license, and manage new associated costs including taxes and the microchipping of all animals.
Rules around general pet ownership will also receive an overhaul as part of the new laws, which will now require owners to register, train, and spay/neuter their companion animals.
Lucky Paws, a Mongolian animal welfare group who help care for the country’s street animals, were among those who welcomed the new legislation.
“Mongolia’s adoption of its first animal rights law is a landmark achievement and a culmination of Lucky Paws’ decade-long dedication by volunteers, advocating for a society where kindness prevails for both humans and animals”, says Bujinlkham Erdenebat, a coordinator at Lucky Paws. “This law not only embodies our collective aspiration for a humane society but also calls on each of us to responsibly uphold these vital protections. Respect for all life is paramount – all animals deserve to live!”.
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