Stench, unsanitary conditions and sick children: the region demands to limit the number of pets from neighbors

The authorities of the Rostov region have officially recognized their impotence in the fight against unscrupulous animal owners who turn apartments into mini-shelters. The region intends to apply to the Russian government with a demand to develop federal regulations limiting the maintenance of 15-20 individuals in one residential building. This was stated by the vice-speaker of the local Legislative Assembly Vyacheslav Vasilenko. According to Vasilenko, the problem is widespread and causes reasonable complaints from residents of apartment buildings. When a neighbor keeps a pack of fifteen cats or dogs, the consequences for the common hallway and entrance are deplorable: - persistent fetid odor; - unsanitary conditions; - invasion of insects; - permanent conflicts between neighbors. "Residents cannot breathe normally, the children are sick," the deputy stressed, justifying the need for urgent intervention. In Russia, the law on responsible treatment of animals is formally in force, which prescribes compliance with sanitary and veterinary standards when keeping pets. However, the main caveat is that these very standards have not yet been adopted at the federal level. As a result, there is no documented limit to the maximum number of animals in an apartment. According to Vasilenko, this legislative loophole is actively used by unscrupulous citizens, as well as people with mental disorders (the so-called "chorders" - pathological accumulations of animals). The Rostov region has repeatedly tried to solve the problem on its own. Local deputies have already passed regional laws limiting the number of pets. However, these acts had to be repealed later, as they were in conflict with federal law. "We found ourselves in a desperate situation. The regional authorities want to restore order, but they cannot because of the lack of a federal base," Vasilenko stated. Lawmakers have prepared an appeal addressed to two deputy prime ministers, Dmitry Patrushev and Tatiana Golikova. The main requirement is to immediately develop and approve at the federal level clear requirements for the maintenance of pets in apartment buildings. The introduction of such rules, according to the Rostov parliamentarians, will allow: 1. To protect the rights of residents to comfortable and safe living. 2. To stop the cruel treatment of animals, since keeping dozens of individuals in a cramped apartment is a form of their suffering. Although the appeal itself does not mention specific figures, the deputies propose the following guideline as a working option: one animal (cat or dog) per 15 square meters of living space. At the meeting where the issue was discussed, Alexey Konovalov, head of the local Rosselkhoznadzor department, drew attention to the fact that standards alone are not enough. The authorities will have to solve a set of organizational tasks: - to determine who exactly (and on what basis) has the right to enter the apartment for inspection; - to establish the conditions under which the removal of animals is possible; - create a mechanism for further placement of seized pets. To date, there are no uniform strict restrictions on the maximum number of animals in apartments of apartment buildings at the federal level. Formally, the maximum amount depends only on the ability of the owner to comply with sanitary standards (art. 13 of Federal Law No. 498-FZ). In 2025, the State Duma discussed a bill with a similar norm (no more than one pet per 18 square meters), but as of April 2026, the initiative has not been approved, remaining in the preparatory stage.