Belarusians share how they register their cats. Here's how the procedure works
Starting from 2026, a dog tax has come into effect in Belarus. Simultaneously, new legislative norms oblige owners to register all pets, including cats.
Some Belarusians have already registered their cats and shared their experience.
A Minsk resident visited the capital's 'One Window' service directly with his Maine Coon pet. Screenshot: TikTok
Minsk resident Kristina went to register her cat after a visit from a district police officer, who also scared her by saying that a tax had to be paid for the four-legged pet. In reality, there is currently no cat tax — only for dog owners.
To register a cat, you should visit the local 'One Window' service. You need to bring your passport and, if available, the animal's veterinary passport. If the queue at the administration is electronic, choose the 'pet registration' option to take a ticket.
«Information is filled in — your passport data, the cat's name, its year of birth, whether the pet is neutered or not. Afterwards, a registration certificate is issued. Later you will be called to pick up the cat's tag,» — Kristina explains.
If you do not own your dwelling but rent it, you should also bring a rental agreement that specifies permission to keep a cat (alternatively, come to the registration with the apartment owner).
Online, people are already joking that cats only need to start being issued work books, and then pension certificates.
«My cat will give birth soon, where should I register to receive assistance for 6-7 minors?» — one Belarusian woman joked.
Animal registration is free. However, the fine for its absence if detected is from 1 to 15 basic units (currently from 45 to 675 rubles).
It is worth adding that in the event of an animal's death, the law also recommends notifying the executive committee or the administration of your locality so that the cat or dog can be removed from registration.
How will officials know I have a cat if it doesn't leave the apartment?
In the case of dogs, the tax inspection has already sent initial inquiries to veterinary clinics regarding owners who contacted them in 2025. This means veterinarians, as well as owners of animal hotels and dog trainers, will be obliged to provide such information.
Additionally, housing and communal services employees and police officers may report unregistered animals. There's also no escaping concerned neighbors.
Why is this being done?
The main purpose of registration is to control the number of animals (yes, officially you cannot keep more than two pets in an apartment), as well as to simplify the search for a cat or dog if they accidentally get lost.
In the future, it is planned to create a single digital registry of animals, where their entire biography will be recorded.
-
In Vilnius, residents received a warning about a possible air alarm
-
Red carpet, luxurious outfits, rain, and free mojitos. How the BSU Lyceum graduation went PHOTOS
-
A young Belarusian woman was held in a Russian pre-trial detention center for almost 4 years and acquitted. The compensation she received was like a slap in the face
Now reading
A young Belarusian woman was held in a Russian pre-trial detention center for almost 4 years and acquitted. The compensation she received was like a slap in the face 9
Comments
а я ў мужа паўвека ўжо па
ходу незарэгістраваная як жыву