Kyiv Council approves five-year program to control pets and stray animals

Kyiv City Council by ninety-four votes approved the city program of controls on the keeping of pets and regulating the numbers of stray animals by humane means for 2012-2016. To implement the program in 2012-2016, UAH 117.2 million is needed, of which UAH 108.9 million are funds from Kyiv's budget.

Kyiv Council Deputy Denys Moskal (Republic of Kyiv fraction), who heads the environment committee of the Kyiv Council and also the Green Party of Ukraine, said the program foresees about UAH 60 million to keep and treat stray animals at municipally-owned animal shelters, about UAH 5.5 million to allocate places for dog walking, and over UAH 1.3 million to create areas for training dogs.

"According to the document, within five years, 20,000 stray animals should be identified and find homes. That would be good. But now, according to other findings, there are about 25,000 stray cats and dogs in the capital. I hope that due to this program the majority of these animals will receive homes and won't be strays any more," Moskal said.

According to the deputy, the program also envisages cooperation between the city and animal protection public organizations. In particular, UAH 2 million will be allocated for financial support of public organizations that maintain shelters for animals.

"I'm sure the problem of stray animals can be resolved by uniting the efforts of municipal services and public organizations," he said.