Armenian parliament may toughen punishment for animal cruelty, MP from Prosperous Armenia Party Naira Zohrabyan said.

According to her, with this legislative package, the punishment for cruelty to animals will be toughened, including criminal prosecution.

In the case of cruelty to animals used both at home and for official purposes, for demonstration, sports and various kinds of recreational activities, for scientific and laboratory research, as well as for homeless animals, the culprit will be held responsible.

“By abuse we mean strangulation, suspension, dismemberment, violent blows, flogging, shooting, poisoning or injection of drugs leading to severe or excruciating death of the animal, skinning alive, amputation or anatomy, arson of a living animal, throwing an animal from a height or a vehicle, organizing and conducting fights involving animals, trapping homeless animals in a way that leads to impaired health or interrupting the life of animals, and so on,” Zohrabyan noted.

In all these cases the perpetrators will be punished by a fine of 100-300 times the minimum wage or by arrest from 1 to 3 months. While, in the case of extreme cruelty to animals, a citizen can be imprisoned for a period of one year. If the crime was committed in the presence of minors, by a group of persons by prior conspiracy, with particular cruelty, in respect of more than two animals, the perpetrators will be punished with a fine of 300-500 times the minimum wage, or for a period of 1 to 3 years.