June 21, 2021

Drinking Not En-Cur-Aged


Drinking Not En-Cur-Aged
Don't drink and dog! Photograph by Jennifer Lim-Tamkican on Unsplash

On June 9, online news outlet Izvestiya reported that Russia’s State Duma may support an initiative to ban drunk Russians, along with children under 14, from walking their pets.

Senators proposed a bill that would not only regulate the level of drunkenness of pet owners out for a stroll with their charges, but that may also determine leash length. The punishable degree of intoxication is up for review, as some experts believe a small buzz is not enough to penalize an owner.

The legislation is part of a larger initiative to regulate the appropriate treatment of furry (or scaly—the affected pet species are yet to be specified) friends. Supporters defended the rules with anecdotes of citizens being attacked when dog owners walk fighting breeds without a muzzle or leash.

The bill may also grant Russia’s regions the right to cap the number of pets kept in an apartment and prevent owners from using corridors and stairwells to house their animals. Some members of the Duma are concerned about the costs and personnel that would be required to enforce the legislation, but proponents of the bill have suggested delegating the responsibility to the police officers who already test drivers for intoxication.

Perhaps legislators should get on with it—isn't it best to prohibit what really shouldn’t happen to a dog?

You Might Also Like

Space Dogs
  • January 01, 2020

Space Dogs

The first earthling to perish in space was the Soviet space dog Laika. Soon thereafter, the first earthlings to orbit the planet – 60 years ago this summer – were Belka and Strelka.
01: The Hearts of Dogs
  • January 01, 2008

01: The Hearts of Dogs

Where else do we find so many instances of dogs invested with human-like powers of thought and feeling and in Russian literature? Dogs which are not simply house pets, but friends, relatives and confidantes.
Don't Diss the Dog Days
  • May 10, 2021

Don't Diss the Dog Days

As spring heats slowly to the rapid days of summer, the canines of Russia are kept on their paws with special challenges of their own.
Dyed and True
  • February 19, 2021

Dyed and True

Rainbow pups are popping up in more than one Russian province.
The Goodest Boy in All of Russia
  • February 22, 2021

The Goodest Boy in All of Russia

There are a lot of really wonderful dogs in Russia, but this life-saving cutie has been named the best of all. 
It's a Dog's Life (in Russia)
  • January 25, 2021

It's a Dog's Life (in Russia)

Icy winter waters were no threat to a talented reporter who dove in to save a puppy from the cold.  
Pirates, Pooches, and Another Putin
  • July 16, 2020

Pirates, Pooches, and Another Putin

This week, drivers' licenses get a much-overdue update, utility bills make headlines, and we learn that pirates abound in Russia. 
Dog Days
  • June 08, 2020

Dog Days

As summer begins, a Russian doctor explains how to combat "weather pains."
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
Turgenev Bilingual

Turgenev Bilingual

A sampling of Ivan Turgenev's masterful short stories, plays, novellas and novels. Bilingual, with English and accented Russian texts running side by side on adjoining pages.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955