Owining a pet in the east

I was wondering how it was to own a pet(cat or dog) in the east especially if you lived in an appartment?What kind of rules existed in this case?For example in a building how many appartments could host a pet?Did cat or dog food exist in the east?Did laws that protect animals exist in the east?What kind of punishment would somone face if he/she dumped his /her pet?Does anybody have an answer about all those questions?

It's rather unusual to see so interesting, but I think it's important part of social life. I don't know what was in other socialist countries, but in the USSR it was problematic issue. Only in 1981 the rules of dogs and cats keeping in cities and other localities of RSFSR was established (in Russian), and responsibility for cruel treatment with animals was established just in 1988.

nickt wrote:

For example in a building how many appartments could host a pet?

As much as you wish while it doesn't break sanitary and hygienic norms as well as right of people to rest (noise shouldn't disturb people).

nickt wrote:

Did cat or dog food exist in the east?

As I know almost all food for dogs and cats were cooked. If there was any special food it was a very rare one.

nickt wrote:

Did laws that protect animals exist in the east? What kind of punishment would somone face if he/she dumped his /her pet?

In 1988 for cruel treatment with animal you could be punished by 50 roubles penalty. If you do it again while one year - a half of year in prison or 100 roubles penalty. Yes, it's very slight punishment for those bastards.

The USSR had too little attention to this issue in law sphere. But in 1954 there was established the section of animal defence in frames of All-Russian Society of Nature Defence. It was public movement created by Elena Aleksandrovna Antonova.

P.S. I suppose you like animals. If it's true I can advice you to watch a movie of soviet production "White Bim Black Ear". I cried...

Thanks a lot for the answers I found the movie on youtube with english subtitles and when I have time I will watch it.My other question is: where someone could get a pet did petshops exist?

Quote:

In 1988 for cruel treatment with animal you could be punished by 50 roubles penalty. If you do it again while one year - a half of year in prison or 100 roubles penalty. Yes, it's very slight punishment for those bastards.

What was the average salary at that time?

nickt wrote:

My other question is: where someone could get a pet did petshops exist?

As I know petshops didn't exist in the USSR. Dogs could be got from state nurseries, dog breeding clubs or personally from other people; I don't think that there was state cats nurseries so clubs and other people were main places where you could buy it. Most likely, some exotic pets (like turtles and so on) could be got in zoological gardens and from other people.

nickt wrote:

What was the average salary at that time?

About 200 roubles in 1988.

I have some other questions.Where someone could take care of a pet?Did vets for pets exist?Did vaccines special for pets exist in order to anticipate viruses?I am wondering since this part of social life in the USSR is not well known

You know, the USSR was far not perfect country, but at least we were "rather civilized".

Of course we had pets veterinaries and specialized clinics. There wasn't too much vet. clinics exact for pets. For example, in Moscow (if I don't mistake) you could count about 8 clinics in 50-60s. I can't give you other cities figures because don't know it. All main vaccines (against rabies, distemper, etc.) were free, may be some exotic or rare one were paid. People could call a vet at home if pets need it (it was free too). But number of vet. clinics and vets were scares. Also if you're interested in industrial veterinary medicine (in sphere of collective farms, milk plants, state dogs nurseries, etc.) - the situation was much more better there and we can talk about world level achievements in this sphere.

I have a feeling that you're not "just interesting". May be you want to know about veterinary medicine and education system? Or some methods of organizing farming and animals' healthcare? Something concrete? Actually I'm rather far from this area of science (I'm economist), but I can look for some information in libraries and internet if you need it.

Thanks a lot for your interest for my questions.My intension at the moment was to learn everything about pets and how they where taken care of but I learned a lot of things about veterinary matters thanks to you I never knew that basic vet care for animals and pets was free in USSR.There are lots of things I want to learn about USSR and east europe and for sure I will learn about them here.If I have any other question about this matter I will post here.

You're right, and I think that it's not less important that animals make people more humane. It also make society healthier morally.

Yeah, especially seniors who end up all alone (one of the most depressing, most common, and most overlooked, scenarios, in my opinion) should be provided pets free of charge, if they wish.

People who do not like animals are strange in my view. There is something in their eyes which is very special.

No. Most animals are actually pretty repulsive. I hate to touch any animal that has no fur, and even then, I don't want to get cordial with animals that I eat. It wouldn't make sense. Cats and elephants are the only cool animals. Them and maybe bears.

In my view, people who proclaim to like animals but love to eat meat are cynical assholes. I love to eat meat and I'm not a cynical asshole, so... no.

I hate most animals, yesterday my cousin brought her awful barking chihuahua with her, I just don't get why you would want something like that running around your house. I only like cats.

I like cows as food and as animals. It's not really a contradiction or cynical at all. That said I'm definitely a mammal-supremacist.

Mabool wrote:

Cats

Cats are parasites- just like the bourgeoisie.

So i guess your cat sucked at catching mice,eh?

^ Cat is a proletariat pet, then