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The translation of this document is outdated.
Translation validity: 20.11.2008.–16.03.2010.
Amendments not included: 09.03.2010., 21.06.2011., 11.01.2022.

Disclaimer: The English language text below is provided by the State Language Centre for information only; it confers no rights and imposes no obligations separate from those conferred or imposed by the legislation formally adopted and published. Only the latter is authentic. The original Latvian text uses masculine pronouns in the singular. The State Language Centre uses the principle of gender-neutral language in its English translations. In addition, gender-specific Latvian nouns have been translated as gender-neutral terms, e.g. chairperson.


Text consolidated by Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) with amending regulations of:

12 September 2006 (No. 757);
11 November 2008 (No. 936).

If a whole or part of a paragraph has been amended, the date of the amending regulation appears in square brackets at the end of the paragraph. If a whole paragraph or sub-paragraph has been deleted, the date of the deletion appears in square brackets beside the deleted paragraph or sub-paragraph.


Republic of Latvia

Cabinet
Regulation No. 407

Adopted 16 May 2006

Regulations Regarding Welfare Requirements of Animals in Animal Shelters and Animal Boarding Facilities, Procedures for Transferring Animals to Animal Shelters or Animal Boarding Facilities, as well as Procedures for Registration of Animal Shelters and Animal Boarding Facilities

[12 September 2006]

Issued pursuant to Section 10, Clauses 7 and 12
of the Animal Protection Law and Section 25,
Clause 11 of the Veterinary Medicine Law

[12 September 2006]

I. General Provisions

1. These Regulations prescribe the welfare requirements of animals in animal shelters (hereinafter - shelter) and animal boarding facilities (hereinafter - boarding facility), the procedures for transferring animals to a shelter or boarding facility, as well as the procedures for registration of shelters and boarding facilities.

[12 September 2006]

2. The Food and Veterinary Service (hereinafter - Service) shall perform the State supervision and control in shelters and boarding facilities.

3. The owner of the shelter or boarding facility or an authorised person thereof (hereinafter - owner of a shelter or boarding facility) shall be responsible for the compliance with these Regulations.

4. A local government shall, once every six months, send the following data to the territorial structural unit of the Service:

4.1. regarding the catching of stray pet animals, specifying the animal species, number and actions involving them;

4.2. regarding the accommodation of confiscated or removed pet animals, specifying the animal species, number and actions involving them;

4.3. regarding the accommodation of wild animals in a helpless situation, specifying the animal species, number and actions involving them; and

4.4. regarding buried and cremated animal carcasses, specifying the animal species and number.

[11 November 2008]

5. The requirements, which are specified in the regulatory enactments regarding welfare requirements for keeping, sale and demonstration of pet animals in public exhibitions, for dog training and regarding the rights and obligations of an owner and holder of a pet animal, shall be ensured for pet animals in shelters and boarding facilities.

II. General Requirements for the Establishment and Maintenance of Shelters or Boarding Facilities

6. An owner of a shelter or boarding facility may be any natural person or legal person who is registered with the Service. The owner of the shelter or boarding facility shall submit an application to the territorial structural unit of the Service for performance of registration, specifying the following information:

6.1. natural person - the given name, surname, address of the place of residence and telephone number of the owner of the shelter or boarding facility, legal person - the type, name, registration number, legal address and telephone number;

6.2. the maximum number of animals and species intended for accommodation in the shelter or boarding facility; and

6.3. the address and cadastre number of the immovable property where the shelter or boarding facility will be established.

[12 September 2006]

7. The Service shall, within 10 working days after receipt of the information referred to in Paragraph 6 and Sub-paragraph 8.7 of these Regulations, inspect a shelter or boarding facility. The owner of the shelter or boarding facility shall present the originals of the following documents to an inspector of the Service:

7.1. a document confirming the ownership rights or a rental or lease contract of the immovable property (where the shelter or boarding facility is located);

7.2. a contract entered into with a practising veterinarian regarding veterinary medical care for animals present in the shelter or boarding facility;

7.3. a statement of the local government regarding the conformity of the shelter or boarding facility with the territorial plan; and

7.4. a deed regarding putting of the object into service.

[12 September 2006]

7.1 The Service shall disclose the results of the inspection referred to in Paragraph 7 of these Regulations in an inspection protocol of the shelter or boarding facility.

[11 November 2008]

7.2 If a shelter or boarding facility conforms to the requirements of these Regulations, the Service shall enter the data regarding the shelter or boarding facility (the information referred to in Sub-paragraphs 6.1 and 6.3 of these Regulations) in the register of undertakings subject to the supervision of the Food and Veterinary Service and issue a registration certificate to the owner of the shelter or boarding facility. The certificate shall be signed by the Director General of the Service.

[11 November 2008]

8. The owner of a shelter or boarding facility shall ensure:

8.1. keeping conditions that are appropriate for the physiological and zoo-psychological needs of animals of the relevant species and protection against the spreading of infectious animal diseases;

8.2. veterinary medical care, precluding animal suffering;

8.3. training of persons attending to the animals in the field of hygiene, animal protection and welfare, which is conducted by a veterinarian. The person attending to the animals shall confirm by his or her signature that he or she is acquainted with the welfare requirements of animals;

8.4. at least one person attending per 20 dogs and at least one person attending per 30 cats;

8.5. feeding of animals with fresh food pursuant to the species, weight and physiological needs and with fresh drinking water;

8.6. formulation and observance of provisions of internal work procedures; and

8.7. provision of information to the Service if changes in the information referred to in Sub-paragraphs 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3 of these Regulations occur.

9. The following shall be arranged in a shelter and boarding facility:

9.1. a place for the storage of documents;

9.2. cages, sheds and premises for keeping animals;

9.3. a room or individual space in a room for storage of animal feed and preparation of feed;

9.4. a room or a detached space in a room for storage of litter (if litter is used for animals), disinfectants and inventory; and

9.5. sanitary facilities.

10. In premises where animals are kept:

10.1. walls shall be smooth and easy to clean, wash and disinfect;

10.2.floors shall be smooth, resistant to mechanical damage, easy to clean, wash and disinfect and not slippery;

10.3. doors and windows shall be equipped so as to prevent the arbitrary escape of animals from a room; and

10.4. a microclimate pursuant to the physiological needs of the animal species shall be ensured.

11. The equipment used for animals shall be made of a material, which is not harmful to animal health, is easy to clean and disinfect.

12. A cage provided for the keeping of an animal shall be:

12.1. equipped with a sleeping berth;

12.2. numbered;

12.3. resistant to mechanical, chemical damages, made of stainless material that is harmless to animal health; and

12.4. equipped with a plaque where the information referred to in Sub-paragraph 24.3, 24.4 and 24.5 of these Regulations regarding the animal is indicated.

13. Vessels used for watering and feeding of animals shall be washed daily. If dry feed is not used for feeding of animals, the vessels used for feeding of animals shall be washed after each meal.

14. Premises or a space in a room provided for the storage of feed and preparation of feed shall be ensured against entry of animals therein and against humidity. A temperature corresponding to the storage of the feed shall also be ensured in the referred to premises.

15. A comfortable, clean and dry sleeping berth shall be arranged for an animal. The mats used shall be clean, dry and treated against parasites.

16. A place where an animal is kept (cages, sheds, premises) shall be cleaned at least once a day.

17. A cage and the room where another animal will be placed, as well as the respective inventory before the use thereof for another animal shall be cleaned, washed and disinfected.

18. Upon accommodating animals, subjecting of animals to stress, as well as straying of animals shall be prevented.

19. A person attending to the animals shall check the animals each day and inform the owner of a shelter or boarding facility regarding any changes in the behaviour and health of an animal.

III. Requirements for Acceptance and Keeping of Animals in Shelters

[12 September 2006]

20. A practising veterinarian shall:

20.1. perform clinical examination of an animal within a time period of 24 hours after placement of the animal in a shelter;

20.2. ensure veterinary medical care of a sick animal without delay and euthanasia of an incurable animal suffering from an illness or trauma;

20.3. in accordance with the regulatory enactments regulating veterinary medicine, vaccinate dogs, cats, ferrets and wild predatory animals against rabies; and

20.4. if necessary, determine an individual diet for an animal.

21. A practising veterinarian shall evaluate the health condition of a wild animal in a helpless condition in the presence of the owner of a shelter and shall forecast the subsequent development of processes. Only such animals shall be kept in a shelter, which after a rehabilitation period or hibernation will be able to adapt to natural conditions or in any of the animal collections, for creation and operation of which a permit of the Nature Protection Board and of the Service has been issued in accordance with the regulatory enactments regarding requirements for keeping of wild animals in captivity and the procedures for creation of wild collections. Other animals shall be subjected to euthanasia.

22. The owner of a shelter shall, within a time period of one day, inform the State Forest Service regarding the placement of a wild game animal in the shelter and the Nature Protection Board regarding the acceptance of a wild non-huntable animal.

23. The owner of a shelter shall ensure the search of the owner or holder of the animal accepted in the shelter by placing information in the mass media. If the owner or holder of the animal has not been found within a time period of 14 days, the owner of the shelter has the right to give the animal to another person, to keep the animal in the shelter or to subject the animal to euthanasia.

23.1 The owner of a shelter may give a dog to another person only if the dog has been marked and registered in accordance with the regulatory enactments regarding the procedures for the registration of pet animals.

[11 November 2008]

24. A joint register of animals shall be arranged and maintained in a shelter. Information regarding an animal shall be kept in the register for three years after acceptance of the animal in the shelter. The following information shall be included in the register:

24.1. the date and time of acceptance of the animal;

24.2. the person who gives the animal to the shelter (the given name, surname) or information regarding the conditions in which the animal is taken (place, date, description of situation);

24.3. the sequence number assigned to the animal in the shelter;

24.4. the species of the animal;

24.5. the name of the animal and the identity number indicated in the microchip, tattoo or ring (for birds) (if any);

24.6. a description of the animal (gender, age, breed, colour and special features);

24.7. the date and results of the clinical examination of the animal;

24.8. the medical treatment performed and the medicinal products administered to the animal;

24.9. the vaccinations performed to the animal, treatment against internal and external parasites;

24.10. surgical manipulations performed to the animal (also sterilisation);

24.11. information regarding the person to whom the animal is given:

24.11.1. the given name, surname, address of the place of residence and telephone number of a natural person; or

24.11.2. the type, name, registration number, legal address and telephone number of a legal person;

24.12. justification and date of euthanasia of an animal; and

24.13. the identity number indicated in the microchip implanted in the returned dog.

[11 November 2008]

25. The owner of a shelter, indicating the name and address of the shelter, shall once a year provide the Service with information regarding:

25.1. the species and number of the accepted animals;

25.2. the animals given away, specifying:

25.2.1. the species;

25.2.2. the identity number of a dog, which is indicated in the implanted microchip;

25.2.3. the number of animals;

25.3. the species and number of animals subjected to euthanasia; and

25.4. the species and number of animals released into the wild.

[11 November 2008]

26. If animals reside in a shelter for more than 14 days, the animals shall be initially, as well as regularly treated against internal and external parasites.

27. The following animals shall be placed separately in a shelter:

27.1. animals of different species and psychologically incompatible animals;

27.2. baby animals and adult animals unless baby animals are fed by their mother;

27.3. female animals and male animals unless they are sterilised;

27.4. aggressive animals; and

27.5. feeding mothers with their babies.

28. In addition to the premises referred to in Paragraph 9 of these Regulations, the following premises shall be arranged:

28.1. a quarantine room with an indication "Quarantine"; and

28.2. a room for the veterinary medical care of animals.

29. A quarantine room shall be:

29.1. used for keeping of sick or such animals, which are suspected to be sick; and

29.2. provided with a separate entrance bearing a warning notice "Quarantine".

30. Only the inventory provided for the maintenance of animal lodgings placed in the quarantine room shall be used therein.

31. Only the service personnel may be present in the quarantine room.

32. The duration of quarantine shall be determined by a practising veterinarian.

IV. Requirements for Acceptance and Keeping of Animals in Boarding Facilities

[12 September 2006]

33. Upon transferring an animal for keeping in a boarding facility; the owner or holder of the animal shall present:

33.1. the following documents of a pet animal;

33.1.1. the passport of the pet animal of the European Union or a vaccination passport if the permanent place of residence of the animal is in a European Union Member State;

33.1.2. a veterinary (health) certificate, a confirming document issued by a State authorised veterinarian regarding the health condition of the animal or the passport of a pet animal of the European Union if the permanent place of residence of the animal is in a state, which is not a European Union Member State;

33.2. a document confirming the origin of an animal of wild species and provide written information regarding the keeping conditions. The owner of a boarding facility shall ensure such keeping conditions, which conform to the keeping conditions specified by the owner or holder of the animal.

[11 November 2008]

33.1 A dog shall be accepted in a boarding facility if it is marked and registered in accordance with the regulatory enactments regarding the procedures for registration of pet animals.

[11 November 2008]

34. Dogs, cats and ferrets shall be accepted in a boarding facility if they are vaccinated against rabies in accordance with the regulatory enactments governing veterinary medicine.

[11 November 2008]

35. A joint register of animals shall be arranged and maintained in a boarding facility. Information regarding an animal shall be kept in the register for a year after acceptance of the animal in the boarding facility. The following information shall be included in the register:

35.1. the given name, surname, address of the place of residence and telephone number of the animal owner or holder;

35.2. the date and time of acceptance of the animal;

35.3. the species, breed and gender of the animal;

35.4. the name of the animal and the identity number indicated in the microchip, tattoo or ring (for birds) (if any);

35.5. special features of the animal (if detected); and

35.6. the date when the animal is returned to the owner or holder thereof.

36. Within 14 days after the time period specified in a contract for keeping of an animal in a boarding house has expired, the owner of the boarding house shall inform the owner of the animal in writing regarding the intent to give the unclaimed animal to a shelter or to another person or to keep the animal in the boarding house, or to subject it to euthanasia. If the owner of the boarding house receives a written refusal from a local government shelter to accept the animal, the owner of the boarding house has the right to keep the animal in the boarding house, to give it to another person or to subject it to euthanasia not earlier than 14 days after expiry of the time period specified in the contract for keeping of the animal in the boarding house.

[12 September 2006]

V. Specific Requirements for Keeping of Animals of Wild Species in Shelters and Boarding Facilities

[11 November 2008]

37. Animals of wild species shall be kept pursuant to recommendations of the State Forest Service or the Nature Protection Board.

[12 September 2006; 11 November 2008]

38. Only such wild predatory animals shall be released into the wild, which are vaccinated against rabies.

39. Predatory animals shall be kept according to the requirements for keeping of cats in accordance with the regulatory enactments regarding welfare requirements for keeping, sale and demonstration of pet animals in public exhibitions, for dog training and regarding the rights and obligations of an owner and holder of a pet animal.

40. Ungulate animals shall be kept in enclosures. One animal shall be provided with an area that is not smaller than 10 square metres. The height of a fence shall be not less than two metres. An enclosure shall contain a covered area for the protection of animals against unfavourable meteorological conditions.

41. Seals shall be kept in cages. One animal shall be provided with an area that is not smaller than three square metres, one third of which is occupied by a pool. The water temperature in the place for keeping of a seal shall not be lower than 5?C.

42. Swans shall be kept in closed (enclosed by a screen from above) cages. One animal shall be provided with an area that is not smaller than five square metres, one third of which is occupied by a pool. The temperature in the place for keeping of a swan shall not be lower than 0ºC.

43. Storks shall be kept in cages. One animal shall be provided with an area that is not smaller than three square metres. The temperature in the place for keeping of a stork shall not be lower than 0°C.

VI. Specific Requirements for Keeping of Dogs in Shelters and Boarding Facilities

44. If a dog is kept in a cage, such distance shall be ensured between individual cages or a partition wall shall be built so as to not allow contact between animals.

45. If a dog is kept in a cage or a room, it shall be provided with an area of at least five square metres.

46. If a dog is kept in an enclosure, a territory that corresponds to the physiology thereof shall be ensured.

VII. Specific Requirements for Keeping of Cats in Shelters and Boarding Facilities

47. A cat may be kept only within a room.

48. If a cat is kept in an individual cage (which is placed in a room), the cage shall not be smaller than one square metre.

49. If a cat is kept in a cage, the animal shall be provided with walks outside the premises of the shelter or boarding facility in a specially arranged area. An area for walks shall be arranged so that it would be fenced from all sides and the animal would be provided with the necessary freedom of movements.

50. If a cat is kept in a room, the following shall be ensured:

50.1. an area that is not smaller than 4.5 square metres;

50.2. a sleeping berth, which is at least 90 centimetres above the ground; and

50.3. the height of the ceiling in the room is at least 1.8 metres.

51. A cat shall be ensured with appropriate objects for sharpening of claws.

52. The toilet of a cat shall be cleaned and washed at least once a day if special sand is not used therein.

VII. Closing Provisions

53. If a shelter or boarding facility was operating until the date of coming into force of these Regulations, the owner of the shelter or boarding facility shall submit the information referred to in Paragraph 6 of these Regulations to the Service by 1 February 2007.

54. These Regulations shall come into force on 1 January 2007.

55. Paragraph 33.1 of these Regulations shall come into force on 1 January 2010.

[11 November 2008]

Prime Minister A. Kalvītis

Minister for Agriculture M. Roze

 


Translation © 2010 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)

 
Document information
Title: Noteikumi par dzīvnieku labturības prasībām dzīvnieku patversmēs un dzīvnieku viesnīcās, kārtību, .. Status:
In force
in force
Issuer: Cabinet of Ministers Type: regulation Document number: 407Adoption: 16.05.2006.Entry into force: 01.01.2007.Theme: Protection of animalsPublication: Latvijas Vēstnesis, 83, 30.05.2006.
Language:
LVEN
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