Executive Summary

There is a lack of overarching animal welfare legislation in Azerbaijan. The country’s legislation does not recognise animal sentience, and animals lack basic protection. Only brutal treatments causing death or severe injuries to animals are prohibited in the Code on Administrative Violations. There is no duty of care onto animal owners. There is a clear lack of legislation regarding the rearing, transport and slaughter of farm animals, as well as the utilisation of animals in scientific research. Azerbaijan also authorises the culling of stray animals. Furthermore, the country allows for the use of animals for fur farming and entertainment purposes, such as circuses.

The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources is responsible for the conservation of wild animals in Azerbaijan. However, there is no Ministry responsible for animal welfare. There is a lack of government bodies dedicated to animal welfare in general, as well as to specific animal welfare issues, such as the use of animals in scientific research. 

The Government of Azerbaijan is urged to enact a comprehensive animal welfare legislative act that would enshrine animal sentience, define animal welfare in line with the OIE standards, and prohibit animal cruelty. Further animal welfare provisions will stem from this recognition of sentience. In particular, the Government of Azerbaijan is urged to ban the worst forms of confinement for animals reared in farming, and to mandate humane slaughter for all livestock animal species. In addition, the Government of Azerbaijan is strongly encouraged to fully ban fur farming, which is inherently cruel and causes pain, distress and suffering to animals. The Government of Azerbaijan is urged to outlaw the culling of stray animal populations, and to implement spay-and-neuter campaigns as a tool to control stray animal populations. The Government of Azerbaijan is also strongly encouraged to ban the use of all animals for entertainment, including their use in circuses. Overall, the Government of Azerbaijan is strongly encouraged to align its current legislation with OIE standards. Responsibility for animal welfare should be allocated to a Ministry, and a specific government body should enact and ensure the implementation of animal protection legislation. Such a government body should include representatives from animal welfare organisations. Further legal and policy recommendations are associated with each Animal Protection Index (API) indicator and contained in the relevant sections of this report.