Crocodiles, tigers and penguins may soon disappear from Russian homes as parliament considers a bill to prune the number of animals that can be kept as pets.

The chairman of the lower house's natural resources committee, Yevgeny Tugolukov, said a pending bill on animal care may include a list of animals that are "inadvisable to keep at home."

These include "exotic animals," such as snakes, crocodiles and monkeys that are popular with Russians, but that can carry dangerous diseases.

The bill was submitted to the State Duma on Monday.

It will place the responsibility for good care on owners, a response to a sharp rise in cases of animal cruelty. However, very few of these cases come to court.

The latest outrage was a woman in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, who had been keeping a rare Amur tiger in a cage. More outrageous perhaps is the size of the fine she faces - 2,500 rubles ($80).

Russia is, amongst other things, a nation of pet lovers, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin being the premier lover. His extensive menagerie was recently supplemented by a Karakachan puppy, a present from his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borisov.
en.rian.ru/russia/20101122/161445247.html

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