June 21, 2021

Drinking Not En-Cur-Aged


Drinking Not En-Cur-Aged
Don't drink and dog! Photograph by Jennifer Lim-Tamkican on Unsplash

On June 9, online news outlet Izvestiya reported that Russia’s State Duma may support an initiative to ban drunk Russians, along with children under 14, from walking their pets.

Senators proposed a bill that would not only regulate the level of drunkenness of pet owners out for a stroll with their charges, but that may also determine leash length. The punishable degree of intoxication is up for review, as some experts believe a small buzz is not enough to penalize an owner.

The legislation is part of a larger initiative to regulate the appropriate treatment of furry (or scaly—the affected pet species are yet to be specified) friends. Supporters defended the rules with anecdotes of citizens being attacked when dog owners walk fighting breeds without a muzzle or leash.

The bill may also grant Russia’s regions the right to cap the number of pets kept in an apartment and prevent owners from using corridors and stairwells to house their animals. Some members of the Duma are concerned about the costs and personnel that would be required to enforce the legislation, but proponents of the bill have suggested delegating the responsibility to the police officers who already test drivers for intoxication.

Perhaps legislators should get on with it—isn't it best to prohibit what really shouldn’t happen to a dog?

You Might Also Like

Space Dogs
  • January 01, 2020

Space Dogs

The first earthling to perish in space was the Soviet space dog Laika. Soon thereafter, the first earthlings to orbit the planet – 60 years ago this summer – were Belka and Strelka.
01: The Hearts of Dogs
  • January 01, 2008

01: The Hearts of Dogs

Where else do we find so many instances of dogs invested with human-like powers of thought and feeling and in Russian literature? Dogs which are not simply house pets, but friends, relatives and confidantes.
Don't Diss the Dog Days
  • May 10, 2021

Don't Diss the Dog Days

As spring heats slowly to the rapid days of summer, the canines of Russia are kept on their paws with special challenges of their own.
Dyed and True
  • February 19, 2021

Dyed and True

Rainbow pups are popping up in more than one Russian province.
The Goodest Boy in All of Russia
  • February 22, 2021

The Goodest Boy in All of Russia

There are a lot of really wonderful dogs in Russia, but this life-saving cutie has been named the best of all. 
It's a Dog's Life (in Russia)
  • January 25, 2021

It's a Dog's Life (in Russia)

Icy winter waters were no threat to a talented reporter who dove in to save a puppy from the cold.  
Pirates, Pooches, and Another Putin
  • July 16, 2020

Pirates, Pooches, and Another Putin

This week, drivers' licenses get a much-overdue update, utility bills make headlines, and we learn that pirates abound in Russia. 
Dog Days
  • June 08, 2020

Dog Days

As summer begins, a Russian doctor explains how to combat "weather pains."
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

The Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
How Russia Got That Way

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.
Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.
Tolstoy Bilingual

Tolstoy Bilingual

This compact, yet surprisingly broad look at the life and work of Tolstoy spans from one of his earliest stories to one of his last, looking at works that made him famous and others that made him notorious. 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955