Caring for animals is a shared responsibility for each of us.
World Animal Rights Awareness Week is held annually in the third week of June.
World Animal Rights Awareness Week is a global initiative that falls annually in the third week of June and aims to draw public attention to the humane treatment of animals, increase the level of responsibility of their owners, form a culture of respect for all living beings, promote their welfare and stop cruelty.
The initiative is based on the concept of five basic freedoms recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health:
· Freedom from hunger and thirst: having access to fresh water and food to maintain health.
· Freedom from discomfort: providing adequate shelter, a place to sleep and rest.
· Freedom from pain, injury and disease: timely veterinary care, prevention and treatment.
· Freedom to express natural behavior: the ability to move freely, communicate with relatives and show species instincts.
· Freedom from fear and stress: the absence of conditions that cause psychological suffering, intimidation or cruelty.
The idea of rights is based on the Universal Declaration of Animal Rights, which emphasizes that no animal should be subjected to cruel treatment or exploitation.
A responsible attitude towards domestic, stray and wild animals is an indicator of the civility of society and its moral values.
In Ukraine, the protection of animals is guaranteed by the Laws of Ukraine “On the Protection of Animals from Cruelty”, “On Veterinary Medicine”, “On Environmental Protection”, as well as international treaties, in particular the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, ratified by Ukraine.
Since March 1, 2026, certain provisions of the legislation in the field of veterinary medicine and animal welfare have come into force in Ukraine, aimed at strengthening the responsibility of owners for the proper maintenance of pets. In accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On the Protection of Animals from Cruelty” and the Law of Ukraine “On Veterinary Medicine and Animal Welfare”, owners are obliged to provide animals with proper conditions of detention, access to drinking water and food, veterinary care, the possibility of physical activity and protection from suffering and cruelty.
In particular, it is prohibited to leave a pet on a leash less than 20 meters long (for dogs performing guard functions, less than 10 meters). Regardless of the length of the leash, the animal must have constant access to a kennel, room or other shelter. It is prohibited to keep a tied animal in direct sunlight at air temperatures above +20°C or at temperatures below 0°C without the possibility of hiding in a shelter. It is also not allowed to leave tied animals unattended in public places, near shops, public transport stops and other places of mass gathering of people, as well as to tie animals to vehicles.
Such changes are aimed at bringing Ukrainian legislation closer to European standards of humane treatment of animals and forming a culture of responsible attitude towards them.
Violation of the requirements of the legislation in the field of animal protection from cruelty entails administrative liability in accordance with Article 89 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses, and in cases of cruelty that led to the injury or death of an animal, criminal liability under Article 299 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Each of us can make our contribution to animal protection: to treat pets responsibly, to support the activities of shelters and volunteers, not to remain indifferent to cases of cruelty and to report them to the competent authorities.
World Animal Rights Awareness Week is a reminder that humane treatment of animals begins with respect, responsibility, and concern for each person.