Mandatory Registration for Dog and Cat Owners in Yerevan Starting November 1

Starting November 1, all residents of Yerevan who own dogs and cats must register their pets. The Yerevan Council recently clarified the registration process following amendments to the regulations regarding pet ownership.

“Several key points were established in the regulations. The first is the pet registration process; the second relates to veterinary service requirements, which pertain to the safety of citizens and animals; and the third is the process for granting permits,” explained Gevorg Nazaryan, the head of the Environmental Protection Division of the Yerevan Municipality.

“With the new amendments, pet owners are required to register their dogs and cats at the administrative offices within their districts, where special staff will be available. This decision has many positive aspects, for instance, if a pet is found on the street, it can be returned to its owner. Ultimately, of course, the goal is to control the number of stray dogs on the streets, after which it will be possible to create shelters in the future,” noted Yerevan Council member Sergey Apresyan.

To obtain permission for keeping pets and register them, owners must present the animal's veterinary passport, which includes information about required vaccinations and identification. Identification is done at veterinary clinics through either a tattoo or microchip. This is a widely accepted process globally that allows people to travel with their pets.

“Throughout Europe, all animals are vaccinated and have microchips. The chip is the size of a grain of rice and is placed under the skin. The chip has a unique 15-digit number, which serves as an identification code. This process does not harm the animal. The identification number can be verified with a special device. This is the most crucial process that allows one to immediately access an animal's data, medical interventions, and of course, identify its owner. My dog and cat are also identified. When I came to Yerevan from Latvia, my dog got lost. After finding it, I was able to confirm it was mine in just a few seconds using the identification code,” shared veterinarian Liana Vanagan.

All data about registered pets will be uploaded to a unified electronic database, which will in turn minimize the appearance of pets on the streets of the capital in a few years. Thus, the implementation of these new rules will greatly contribute to reducing the number of stray animals in the city.

“The program is almost ready. The operator will enter and input the data. Once at least 3,000 animal records are registered in the database, we will be able to connect with international organizations as well,” mentioned Gevorg Nazaryan.

There will be no fees required from citizens for obtaining permits to keep pets and registering them. The established local fee will not be charged either this year or next year.

“In the future, it is planned to establish benefits specifically for the owners of adopted animals. There will also be other classifications,” noted Sergey Apresyan.

Citizens who do not register their pets will be required to pay a fine for violating the rules.

“Our goal is not to collect money from citizens, but to obtain registration data. It is important for people to understand that keeping a living being is a responsibility, not just to the animal but also to the community,” Gevorg Nazaryan emphasized.

Pet-owning citizens should also be aware that they may not receive permission to keep an animal if, for example, the provided details are untrustworthy or if other violations of the established rules are recorded. All these measures are being taken for both citizens and, of course, the animals. Meanwhile, a new legislative amendment is also in parliament.

The community is also initiating various programs that will create new approaches to pet ownership and new facilities in the city. This information is available on the Yerevan Municipality's website.