Animals in Russia are suffering because there are no laws to protect them. This applies to domestic pets as well as wild animals in captivity.
Big Hearts Foundation writes, "Russia has no concept of animal welfare – there is no animal welfare legislation, no duty of care on pet owners to provide basic needs for their animals, no restrictions on breeding and sale of pets."
Animals in captivity are held in tiny, unsanitary cages. They are not provided even basic veterinary care and suffer from a variety of physical ailments. They are not socialized or provided with any kind of enrichment; they often pace due to stress and boredom. Animals are also commonly forced to perform or provide entertainment for tourists.
Nothing will change until enough of us come together to demand action. We must let the Russian government know that this neglect will no longer be tolerated.
