Love is illegal: why people buy dangerous animals, despite the prohibitions

Alexander Dybin

The list of animals that are forbidden to keep at home was formed back in 2019. It includes dozens of species that can be dangerous to owners and others: large predators, primates, snakes, poisonous spiders, etc. The restriction had a temporary cutoff, animals bought or otherwise acquired before January 1, 2020 could stay with the owner. But everyone who appeared after this period is already outside the law. Attention to the topic was attracted by another case with a wild animal. In the village of Manushkino near St. Petersburg, a puma appeared on the street, which escaped from a private house. Neighbors have seen her walking with the owner on a leash more than once, but this time the cat was alone on the street, bit the man and attacked the dog. A few weeks ago, in Magnitogorsk, a monkey was caught for several days running through the streets. People tried to interact with her: feed her, take pictures, or even hit her. As a result, the owner took the animal, as it turned out, the ex-member of the Tender May group, who said that the parents did not see the monkey, she ran out of the enclosure. And last summer, the inhabitants of St. Petersburg were frightened by the owner of the python, who rode with him in the subway. Such cases are numerous.

As told in the North-Western Interregional Department of Rosprirodnadzor, which oversees this issue, over the past two years in the Northern capital there have been several facts of the seizure of wild animals.

“In 2021, a Siamese cobra was seized, which they tried to sell through Avito, this was recorded by public inspectors, then we got involved”, - said Vitaly Burov , head of the department for supervision in the field of hunting and specially protected natural areas of the North-West Interregional Directorate of Rosprirodnadzor, “it turned out to be a cobra to intercept, it is not known where she would have gone, and what she could have done. She was confiscated and now she lives in the Moscow Zoo. There was a case with a guest performer who brought a white tiger cub to photograph tourists. There was a whole operation with the prosecutor's office, now the man has been brought to justice, the tiger is subject to seizure. Then it's up to the bailiffs, I hope the animal will go to a rehabilitation center. In the same way, a lioness, which has already been identified in the Veles center, was seized. A boa constrictor found in an apartment was handed over to the St. Petersburg Zoo. The new owner drove in and found the snake: it was either abandoned or forgotten”.

Animals are traded in secret chats

Experts interviewed by Novye Izvestia note that the wild animal market in Russia lives solely on demand. And clients are divided into two types. Large cats, lynxes, lions, tigers, leopards and the like, crocodiles, wolves are often bought as a gift. What to give the person who has everything? Give a puma. Or how to emphasize that you have achieved success in life? Turn your house into a panther enclosure! Another category of buyers are knackers who exploit animals for money: photo shoots, participation in holidays, and the like. This business thrives in the south, in the resort areas, as well as exotic owners touring major cities.

“The sale of animals in terms of income is probably in third place after drugs and weapons”, - says Karen Dallakyan, a veterinarian and head of the “Save Me” animal protection fund, “there is a trade in animals, despite the ban. As a rule, this happens in closed groups and chats, it is not particularly advertised. Our volunteers recently found such a group in Magnitogorsk, where they sold tiger cubs and monkeys. The group was closed, but this is one of many. At the same time, it is not possible to say exactly how many lions, tigers and similar animals live in Russia. We only become aware of them if something happens: the animal gets sick, or runs away, or attention is drawn to it”.

So a couple of years ago, Karen Dallakyan went out with a lion, which, in extreme exhaustion, was confiscated from street photographers. As a result, a lion cub named Simba, despite covid restrictions, was able to be transferred to a rehabilitation center in Tanzania.

“Tiger cubs and lion cubs are often bought for commercial purposes, wild birds use millet, photographers ride around the cities, but there are people who believe that keeping a large predator in the yard is prestigious, it is an expression of wealth. How many of them - we do not represent.

At the same time, you can find ads for the sale of animals from the prohibited list even now. For example, on one of the sites dedicated to exotic animals, it is reported that lion cubs are sold in Moscow. At the same time, they assure that everything is in order with the documents, although it has been forbidden to keep lions for two years now.

“I suggest getting a lion cub. Completely tame, affectionate lion cubs that love to communicate with people are for sale. Kittens are one month old, grew up and grew up at home, boys and girls are available. Ideal for showing at exhibitions, private nurseries, zoos,” the announcement says.

Another post from this author states that there are other cats for sale.

“Kittens for sale are large, predatory cats for the circus, nursery, zoo. Leopard, tiger, lion, puma, panther, jaguar, lynx in stock and on order. The babies of these large cats were born in the cattery, regularly undergo veterinary control, are healthy and well-groomed. Kittens are easily tamed and are closely attached to a person at home, ”says the seller.

They ask for an individual from 160 thousand rubles.

Penalty will be added to withdrawal

As Vladimir Burmatov, deputy chairman of the State Duma committee on ecology, told Novye Izvestia, amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation will be introduced in the near future, which will provide for fines for keeping animals from the prohibited list at home. The maximum penalty is up to 150 thousand rubles. The amendments have already passed the first reading in the lower house of Parliament.

“The fine should work both for the category of private owners and for those who use animals for profit”, - the deputy says, “for a long time, such an animal was a fashionable gift. By the way, the Chelyabinsk zoo was partly formed from such “gifts” and there was even evidence on the enclosures that this animal was transferred to the zoo by such and such a person. Gave, and where to put it, he does not know. Handing over to the zoo is the most humane thing he could do. Now, along with such a “gift” there will be a fine of 150,000. In addition, the fine is designed to hold “beach photographers” accountable. For them, there was not enough punishment for illegal entrepreneurial activity, so new compositions have to be added to the Code of Administrative Offenses. Now we are seeing a contraction in this exotic wildlife market as demand has dwindled. There were even announcements about the distribution of crocodiles for a ruble, etc. But the problem remains in the sector where money is spinning, this is the use of animals in cultural and entertainment events, private zoos, photographers, guys who will bring at least an elephant home for their birthday. Part of it all depends on demand. If we didn’t order and take pictures, it would go away by itself. The tragedy is that such animals do not live long”.

According to veterinarian Karen Dallakyan, now in Russia there are no problems with where to take such animals. There are shelters and nurseries where they accept wild animals, they are ready to accept official, including state, zoos. The only difficult category is bears. As a rule, such pets are acquired by hunters or villagers who pick up cubs, feed them, and then face the fact that it is quite difficult and expensive to keep a bear.

“We have no problems with shelters, there are enough of them, if the law would work that allows you to withdraw animals”, - the expert says, “the only problem is with bears, there are no such problems with other animals. Seized tigers, lions, etc. even zoos willingly take it, especially if there are no such species in the collection”.