Second Forum on Responsible Treatment of Animals brings together more than 600 participants at the National Centre RUSSIA
On 25 September, the Second All-Russian Forum on Responsible Treatment of Animals has opened at the National Centre RUSSIA. The event brought together more than 600 participants, including representatives of government authorities, businesses, non-profit organisations, the scientific and expert community, the veterinary sector and the media, to discuss systemic solutions in the field of animal protection and welfare. The Forum is organised by the Nika Charitable Foundation for Homeless Animals and the Centre for the Study of Animal Nutrition and Welfare.
"Last year, the Forum brought representatives of government, business and the non-profit sector together on one platform for the first time. It was important to us that this meeting should not remain a one-off event. The second Forum shows that professional dialogue is continuing and that the circle of people and organisations ready to work together on systemic changes in animal protection is expanding. Here we can not only discuss existing problems, but also share practices, find partners and agree on specific joint steps," said Vera Mitina, President of the Nika Charitable Foundation for Homeless Animals.
She added that the main change over the past year has been growing public demand for animal shelters to become centres of social engagement.
"First of all, shelters themselves have developed completely different expectations of their own work — they are becoming more open, and the social environment is undoubtedly helping this process. We would therefore like shelters not to be simply places where unwanted dogs are collected from the streets and shut away, but spaces people want to visit with friends and children, where they feel happy and safe and can see that the animals are genuinely doing well," added Vera Mitina.
Denis Abdrakhmanov, Director of the Centre for Legal Initiatives at the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, drew a parallel between the development of infrastructure for responsible treatment of animals and digital services that only recently seemed impossible. In his view, with private initiative, standardised solutions and cooperation with the state, high-quality shelter infrastructure could appear in every city within the next five years.
"Developing infrastructure for responsible treatment of animals is one of the most important areas, because improving legislation does not work without it. I remember that 15 years ago there was no infrastructure for automatic traffic violation detection, and people were also discussing what was preventing it from emerging. Today, cameras are present in virtually every major city — and only 10 years have passed. I am confident that the same thing will happen with animal infrastructure. The regulatory framework already exists; what is lacking is initiative and a programme-based, targeted approach. Any infrastructure project consists of three elements: a project solution, a financial model and a legal framework. If we describe this as a set of standardised solutions and add private initiative in cooperation with the state, then I am confident that not in 10 or 15 years, but literally in about five years, every city will have decent and well-developed infrastructure — just like modern digital services," said Denis Abdrakhmanov.
The Forum programme focuses on developing the system of responsible treatment of animals, improving the work of shelters and non-profit organisations, veterinary care, creating a pet-friendly environment, education and fostering a culture of responsible pet ownership. Particular attention is paid to scaling successful regional practices, developing cross-sector cooperation and finding solutions to improve the effectiveness of animal welfare systems across the country.
Throughout the day, the Forum will feature a plenary session, thematic and partner sessions and discussions, round tables, presentations and other events. Participants will develop practical solutions, a package of standard recommendations for regions and a roadmap for project initiatives — from the development of shelter infrastructure to industry standards, approaches to education and the development of international cooperation.
The Forum will conclude with an awards ceremony for the Second All-Russian Award in the field of animal protection and responsible treatment, established by the Nika Charitable Foundation. In 2026, more than 240 applications from different regions of Russia were submitted for the Award. An expert jury will select winners in ten categories: "Best Infrastructure Practices", "Digital and Technological Solutions", "Best Educational Project", "Best Social Project", "Youth Volunteer Project of the Year", "Corporate Social Responsibility", "Media Personality of the Year", "For Personal Contribution", "Act of Kindness" and "Animal Rescue in Emergencies".
The All-Russian Forum on Responsible Treatment of Animals is held as part of the implementation of Presidential Instruction No. Pr-186 and brings together government bodies, non-profit organisations, businesses, the professional community and international partners to discuss practical solutions in the field of responsible treatment of animals. Participants focus on a managed system for dealing with homeless animals, the development of sector infrastructure, education, safety, humane treatment of animals, a pet-friendly urban environment, as well as international standards and protocols.
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