The situation with stray dogs in Kyrgyzstan is becoming increasingly acute. Some citizens help these animals and feed them, while others feel fear and demand strict measures from the authorities.
According to official data, about 14,000 dogs were killed in Bishkek in the first ten months of 2025. Questions about the legality of the shooting, the powers of the municipal enterprise "Tazalyk," and possible alternative solutions to this problem remain open.
Journalist 24.kg conducted interviews with volunteers, experts, lawyers, and representatives of "Tazalyk."
Tatiana Kudlai's Shelter: Life with Dogs Behind the Fence
Tatiana Kudlai has been caring for several dozen dogs for over ten years. It all started when she and her family got a spaniel at Issyk-Kul, and soon Tatiana could not walk past abandoned puppies.“Look into the eyes of these dogs, left without owners. They seek love and hope not to be abandoned. How can I walk past?” she says, unable to hold back her tears.
Currently, Tatiana is caring for 40 dogs, and her entire life is dedicated to their care. Preparing food for so many animals is no easy task, but she does it with joy. During our conversation, she distributes the food.
“No one helps me; I do everything myself. Finding food for the animals is also not easy, but I don’t give up and keep searching,” she shares.
All of Tatiana's dogs are sterilized and vaccinated, live in cleanliness, and do not go outside.
The Kyrgyz-Turkish University "Manas" helps her with the sterilization of dogs, where students undergo practical training and provide Tatiana with significant discounts.
However, not all neighbors are pleased with such a number of dogs. They complain about constant barking and smell. Tatiana assures that there is no smell, and the dogs bark only in extreme cases. She is ready to defend her pets like a mother would her children and bravely endures conflicts with neighbors.
“Neighbors complain, but before they used to leave their puppies with me until cameras appeared. Now they leave them further away, knowing that I cannot walk past,” she recounts.
Scandal in Novopavlovka: The Shooting of Dogs Shocks the Public
Irina Krasnova found herself at the center of public resonance after a tragic incident when her dogs were shot on private property. The shooter crossed onto a neighbor's yard, and the police were called due to complaints about barking and smell.Media Topic
Video of the shooting of dogs in Bishkek caused public outcry
Although the dogs were in enclosures, one of them ran out into the yard and became a victim. The second dog was shot in the enclosure on the neighbor's territory.
This case was deemed outrageous — the shooting occurred not on the street, but during the day, in front of a small child playing in the yard. The shooter did not care about the legality or morality of his actions.
Irina's family is experiencing severe stress. Her faith in the law has shaken, and her husband was hospitalized with an ischemic stroke.
Irina filed a complaint with the police, and it is still unknown whether the case will be administrative or criminal.
“It is important to understand that the illegal use of firearms in populated areas is prohibited. What should the authorities have done in this situation? If the employees of 'Tazalyk' claim that this was a last resort, perhaps they mean self-defense. But the owner claims that the dogs did not leave the enclosures,” explains lawyer Zhyldyz Sakiyeva.
A Vicious Circle: Shooting Does Not Solve the Problem of Stray Dogs
Questions about stray and uncontrolled domestic dogs have two sides: compassion for the animals and fear of them. The former strive to help the animals, while the latter demand their removal from the streets, considering them dangerous. Both sides are right, but the problem has not been resolved since the collapse of the Soviet Union.According to Larisa Slobodskaya, head of the public fund "Kind Hands," shooting will never solve the problem of the increasing dog population.
By killing one dog, it can leave behind many puppies. The most humane way is sterilization.
Larisa Slobodskaya
Many, including officials, agree with this. However, shooting is considered cheaper. And no one thinks about the suffering a dog experiences before death.
Among volunteers, there is an opinion that for those who shoot, it is an additional source of income.
It is worth recalling a case several years ago when a café visitor, who was eating dog meat soup, found shot pellets in it. His bowl contained four pellets, but no one commented on this incident.
Reasons for Shooting and the Appearance of Packs of Dogs
The shooting of animals is carried out based on requests from citizens. Most often, people complain about barking or attacks. Complaints about packs of dogs are also received.As Larisa Slobodskaya notes, a stray dog is a domestic dog that has ended up on the street for various reasons. Many do not know about sterilization, and even if they do, they do not want to spend from 1,500 soms and more.
Some find it easier to take a dog outside the city and leave it there. According to Larisa, this is how packs are formed: one dog survives, and another stays with it.
Who is to blame? Of course, humans. We are always responsible for those we have tamed.
Many people, including representatives of the authorities, believe that responsibility for each animal should be introduced. However, there is another side: will people take stray puppies home knowing about such responsibility? Or is it easier to walk past and not worry about vaccinations and other formalities? In that case, there will be even more stray animals on the streets.
24.kg Reference
According to preliminary estimates, the cost of shooting one dog averages $3.5. Where does this amount come from? In 2025, the city budget allocated 4 million 253 thousand soms for the shooting of animals. The number of killed dogs ranges from 14,000 to 15,000. This gives the stated amount, although without accounting for the disposal of carcasses.
Authorities' Position: When Does "Tazalyk" Resort to Extreme Measures?
The director of the municipal enterprise "Tazalyk," Zholdoshbek Chushtukov, told 24.kg in an interview about how work with stray animals is organized in Bishkek and when capture or shooting occurs.According to him, the enterprise has a specialized department with a chief and five employees. They deal not only with the capture of dogs but also with the disposal of animal carcasses — birds, rats, and even large cattle, which happens in case of their death in traffic accidents or due to natural causes.
Zholdoshbek Chushtukov noted that it is incorrect to speak exclusively about shooting, as in most cases, capture is carried out.
Shooting is applied in situations where a dog shows aggression. Sometimes, according to the head of the enterprise, even the owners themselves turn to them if their pet becomes dangerous.
After capture, the dogs are temporarily kept (for up to three days) on the enterprise's premises. If the owner cannot be found, the animal is euthanized.
Zholdoshbek Chushtukov also emphasized that shooting is carried out strictly based on official requests. For example, if reports of dog attacks are received. Such activities are conducted in accordance with the law in the presence of a district inspector and representatives of the MTU, to avoid accidental harm to other animals.
The director of "Tazalyk" denied rumors that dogs are shot during the day and in the presence of children. According to him, they usually go out in the morning or at night and only upon confirmed requests.
Puppies, according to Zholdoshbek Chushtukov, are not shot; they are captured. Cats are rarely captured, as they, in his opinion, do not pose a danger to city residents.
Legality of Shooting: What Does the Law Say?
Lawyer Zhyldyz Sakiyeva argues that it is necessary to clearly define who "Tazalyk" has the right to shoot and how legal this is. According to her, the enterprise has a regulation under which they carry out capture. However, how the dogs are disposed of after capture remains unknown.In Zhyldyz Sakiyeva's opinion, the incident in Novopavlovka is outrageous, as these were domestic dogs, and the regulation of "Tazalyk" does not apply to them. The state has the right to capture only stray dogs. If they refer to the rules for keeping pets, this has nothing to do with this situation.
“Tazalyk” is obliged to capture only stray dogs. To capture!
If a person releases a dog even on a leash, it is considered stray, and “Tazalyk” can capture it. Here, the responsibility lies with the owner.
“The illegal use of firearms in populated areas is prohibited. This is clearly stated in the law,” emphasizes the lawyer.
Media Topic
The Vice Mayor of Bishkek, Ramiz Aliyev, commented on the shooting of dogs in Novopavlovka
According to her, a dog is the property of its owner. According to the Civil Code, animals are subject to the general rules of property. Thus, they are protected by the Constitution. If an animal is wandering unsupervised, it may be considered lost property, about which an announcement must be made.
According to the Civil Code: “A person who detains stray or wandering livestock or other stray domestic animals is obliged to return them to their owner, and if the owner of the animals or their whereabouts are unknown, no later than three days from the moment of detention, to report the discovered animals to the internal affairs agency or the local government body, which takes measures to locate the owner.”
Thus, the regulation of "Tazalyk" on the immediate shooting of stray animals at the place of discovery contradicts this norm, believes Zhyldyz Sakiyeva.
