The Government has adopted a resolution to launch the Unified State Register of Pets – dogs and cats. The Register will contain information on the number of animals in Ukraine, vaccination status, veterinary passport data and information about the owner or keeper. The creation of the Register will make it possible to reduce the number of stray animals, as well as bring Ukrainian legislation closer to international standards.

During the briefing on the project launch, representatives of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection stressed the importance of quality data on pets and explained how the Register will work.

“The implementation of the unified state system of registration and identification of pets is a request that animal protection organisations and veterinary associations are constantly addressing to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food. This need has existed for a long time, and the full-scale invasion by russia has made it urgent. It is important that the registration of animals will be free and voluntary,” said Denys Bashlyk, Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine for Digital Development, Digital Transformation and Digitalisation.

The creation of the Unified State Register of Pets will allow recording routine vaccinations to understand the overall picture and make effective management decisions.

The Register will also provide information on lost and found animals, so that if someone has lost a pet, they can report it. And when the animal is found, one will receive a notification and will be able to return it home. This will significantly reduce the number of stray animals in the country.

“The introduction of the Unified State Register of Pets is a positive message for a country that is integrating into the European system. Identification of domestic cats and dogs is a requirement of the European Union legislation. To date, there is no single register of pets at national level in EU countries. Therefore, Ukraine will actually become a flagship country in this area. And I am sure that by the example of our country, we will be able to show how fast, convenient and comfortable it is not only to keep records, but also to ensure the possibility of convenient movement, as well as to have digital analogues of identification documents,” said Olha Shevchenko, Deputy Head of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection.

After the Register is filled and fully launched, the data contained in it will become the basis for the launch of the digital veterinary passport in Diia. It will allow to store important information about a pet in a smartphone instead of paper documents.

“When a child is born in a family, no one doubts that it needs to be registered, that paperwork needs to be done, and that the necessary vaccinations need to be given. The same should happen with pets, and we are now creating the conditions for owners to have their pets examined on time, including regular rabies vaccinations,” said Mstyslav Banik, Head of Electronic Services Development at the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.

Animal registration is free of charge and will be voluntary. There is no need to go anywhere specifically for this purpose. One can register an animal during a routine examination at both public and private veterinary clinics after the Register is fully launched.

The development of the Register is still ongoing. Once the technical part has been completed and tested by veterinarians, the full launch of the project will be announced.

The project was created at the initiative of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine and the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection and is being implemented with the participation of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.