Feed and Rehome: Vladivostok Seeks Aggressive Dog Keepers

Vladivostok authorities are willing to spend no more than 8.8 million rubles (approximately $97,800 at current exchange rates) on keeping stray animals. This category includes dogs that, due to aggression toward other animals and people, will remain in the shelter for the rest of their lives or until brave individuals take them home.

The procurement is currently at the application acceptance stage; the first phase will end on 10 February, and the contractor, i.e., the shelter for keeping the dogs, will be determined a few days later.

The shelter must be in a separate building with its own grounds; it cannot be located in an apartment or in parts of administrative or residential buildings. It must be at least 150 meters from any food production facility. Its territory must be fenced with a two-meter-high fence and greenery. Ideally, there should be three zones:

There are also criteria for enclosures. For example, enclosures where dogs are kept in groups must have a closed area of at least one square meter. The floor in dog enclosures must be covered with wood shavings or other materials safe for animals. The minimum area for dog walking must be 40 square meters.

The contract includes visitation conditions: the shelter cannot deny access to potential owners and volunteers. It must also follow the contractual procedure for transferring animals to new owners. If a dog has an incurable disease or injury that prevents recovery and causes suffering, the shelter has the right to euthanize it. However, this requires a veterinarian«s opinion.

The Aristokrat shelter previously met these criteria; whether they will participate in this procurement is unknown. Volunteers often complained about the capture and shelter work, allegedly finding piles of discarded carcasses outside the territory. Under the contract, the shelter is required to dispose of bodies legally through cremation. Aristokrat has repeatedly denied this information.

It is worth noting that there have been stories of people claiming that a dog caught on the street without a collar, brand, or other identifying marks belonged to them, only to later refuse to take the animal into their apartment. Having a home and a space equipped for a dog is a key condition for transferring animals to a new family. An example of what a shelter operating under a government contract looks like is in the report. And about how Aristokrat fought off attacks is in a special section.