Visually-Impaired Version 
An international research and practice conference Law, Science and Practice: Effective Solutions for Controlling Dog and Cat Populations through International Experience was held at Maqsut Narikbayev University. Experts discussed ways to improve legislation on responsible animal welfare.
The conference brought together international experts in animal law, representatives of government agencies, members of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan and civil society leaders. Its main objective was to develop practical recommendations for improving legislation and to exchange successful international experience. The event was organised by the Animal Law Centre MNU jointly with the INUCOBO Animal Protection Association with the support of the Kazakhstan Bar Association.
Conference participants presented alarming data on the rabies situation in the regions of Kazakhstan. It was noted that in Shymkent no rabies vaccination had been carried out in 2023–2024 due to a failed procurement procedure. In addition, 25 cases of the disease were registered in five regions of the country.
“We want to bring together an expert community around the issue of responsible animal welfare, as we often encounter unfounded or emotional statements on this topic. Every world-class university has centres dedicated to animal law and social regulation. Maqsut Narikbayev University continues this tradition,” said Roman Melnik, Director of the Animal Law Centre MNU.
Meanwhile, Member of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Natalia Dementyeva, in her speech, spoke about the amendments to the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Responsible Animal Welfare. Liliya Sarsenova, Head of the INUCOBO Association, drew attention to systemic issues in the implementation of the law. The participants also considered alternative legislative concepts aimed at improving regulation. As a result of the conference, specific recommendations were developed for state bodies on regulating dog and cat populations in Kazakhstan.
It should be noted that the Animal Law Centre MNU, which focuses on researching a wide range of legal issues in the field of animal welfare, has been operating since 2023.
