🐕 Animal Welfare Laws in Georgia

Animal Welfare Legislation and Enforcement in Georgia

Georgia's animal welfare law has undergone a paradigm shift in recent years. With the Law on Animal Welfare (საქართველოს კანონი ცხოველთა კეთილდღეობის შესახებ) passed in March 2022, the country received its first comprehensive, standalone animal protection statute. Previously, only fragmentary provisions in the Administrative Offences Code and scattered articles in the Criminal Code penalized animal cruelty — but with penalties so low they had virtually no deterrent effect. The gap between the law on paper and reality remains one of the greatest challenges.

The 2022 Animal Welfare Law — Key Provisions

The law was passed by the Georgian Parliament after years of lobbying by NGOs such as Animal Friends Georgia, the Georgian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA), and international organizations like FOUR PAWS International. The central regulations include:

• Prohibition of animal cruelty: Fines of 500–2,000 GEL (175–700 USD) for first offenses; for repeat offenses up to 5,000 GEL (1,750 USD) or imprisonment up to 3 years under Article 259 of the Criminal Code.
• Minimum standards for animal keeping: Regulations on space requirements, access to water and food, protection from extreme weather conditions. Specific square footage is to be defined in implementing regulations the Ministry of Environment was to issue by end of 2023 — publication remains pending as of April 2026.
• Microchip and registration requirement: All dogs and cats must be fitted with an ISO-compliant microchip and registered in the national database PetRegister.ge. Implementation is proceeding gradually; by 2025, only approximately 85,000 animals were registered according to NFA data — a rate of under 25% against an estimated 300,000–400,000 household dogs nationwide.
• Ban on dog fighting and cockfighting: Explicitly criminalized with fines up to 3,000 GEL and confiscation of animals.
• Regulation of animal trade: Breeding operations and pet shops must register with the NFA. Street sales of animals are prohibited.

Comparison with English-Speaking Countries

The UK's Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the US Animal Welfare Act (AWA) represent different approaches:

• United Kingdom: The 2006 Act imposes a duty of care on pet owners, with penalties including unlimited fines and up to 5 years' imprisonment (increased from 6 months in 2021). Enforcement is carried out by the RSPCA in partnership with local authorities — a model with no Georgian equivalent.
• United States: The federal AWA primarily regulates commercial breeders, dealers, and research facilities. State-level animal cruelty laws vary widely — penalties range from misdemeanors to felonies depending on jurisdiction. The ASPCA and Humane Society of the United States provide enforcement support.
• Australia: State-based Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Acts impose fines up to 50,000 AUD and imprisonment up to 5 years for aggravated cruelty. The RSPCA has inspection and prosecution powers in most states.

The Stray Animal Problem — Tbilisi as Ground Zero

An estimated 50,000 to 100,000 stray dogs live in the capital Tbilisi alone — one of the highest stray populations of any European capital. The situation results from decades of absent neutering programs, abandonment of pets, and a culture in which street dogs are traditionally tolerated and partly fed. Tbilisi City Hall has operated a TNVR program (Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return) since 2018 in collaboration with the Tbilisi Veterinary Service. Results:

• 2018–2025: Approximately 40,000 dogs neutered and vaccinated (rabies, leptospirosis).
• Neutered dogs are marked with a yellow ear clip.
• 2025 budget: 2.8 million GEL (approximately 980,000 USD) — a fraction of what comparable programs in Istanbul (10 million USD/year) or Bucharest (5 million EUR/year) cost.

In Batumi, a separate TNVR program was launched in 2021, funded by the Autonomous Republic of Adjara. In Kutaisi and smaller cities, no systematic programs exist — here NGOs like the GSPCA conduct sporadic neutering campaigns.

Dog Fighting — Banned But Not Eliminated

Traditional dog fights using Caucasian Shepherds and Kangal dogs have a long tradition in some rural regions — particularly in Kakheti and Kvemo Kartli. Despite the 2022 ban, NGOs report ongoing activity. The Patrol Police of Georgia's Ministry of Internal Affairs reported uncovering 12 cases in 2024 and charging 35 individuals — against a suspected dark figure many times higher. Animal Friends Georgia documents 30–50 tips about illegal fights annually, which are forwarded to authorities.

Enforcement — The Achilles' Heel

The greatest deficit in Georgian animal welfare is inadequate enforcement. There is no specialized animal welfare police (unlike the Netherlands with its Dierenpolitie or the RSPCA's inspectorate in the UK). Responsibility for animal welfare violations lies with the NFA and the general police, which have neither the capacity nor the training for systematic inspections. According to a 2024 GSPCA report, of 350 reported animal welfare violations, only 42 (12%) were actually sanctioned. The reasons: evidentiary difficulties, insufficient enforcement resources, and in rural areas a cultural acceptance of practices such as permanent chain tethering.

Outlook

The Georgian government has committed, within the framework of the EU Association Agreement (DCFTA), to align its animal welfare law with European standards. A Ministry of Environment action plan envisions by 2028 the introduction of an animal welfare inspectorate, completion of implementing regulations for the Animal Welfare Law, and expansion of TNVR programs to all cities with populations above 50,000. Whether these goals are achieved depends significantly on political prioritization and budget allocation. For pet owners relocating to Georgia, this means: the legal foundation exists, but practice still lags considerably behind.

This article was created on April 19, 2026