Rosselkhoznadzor has issued a warning to “Event” LLC after identifying violations in the company’s handling of pigeons during Victory Day celebrations in Krasnoye Selo. The agency’s investigation revealed that the birds were released without proper documentation and were not returned to their place of origin, leading to harm and death.

The inspection was prompted by citizen complaints following the event, where released pigeons failed to return to the nursery, and volunteers began rescuing the distressed birds. Rosselkhoznadzor found that Event LLC, the organizer of the Victory Day event, used pigeons for the holiday without adhering to mandatory veterinary requirements.

According to Rosselkhoznadzor, the company failed to provide necessary documents confirming the pigeons’ health, preventive vaccinations, and treatments as required by law. Furthermore, Event LLC was found to be unregistered in the federal information system for veterinary medicine, “Cerberus,” which is a requirement for companies releasing pigeons.

The agency issued a warning to Event LLC about the unacceptability of these violations, demanding compliance with veterinary laws to prevent harm and death to birds during future events.

Local activists have also taken action, appealing to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecutor’s Office, and the Governor of St. Petersburg’s office, requesting an investigation and prosecution of those responsible for animal cruelty under Article 245 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Following the Victory Day event, volunteers worked to capture the decorative pigeons, transferring them to the Orlando shelter for temporary care. It is estimated that at least 120 pigeons were released during the celebration, based on the state contract.

In the aftermath of the incident, the Krasnoye Selo administration initially attributed the loss and death of some birds to 5G towers. They later acknowledged that any pigeon release carries the risk of unpredictable bird behavior and promised to consider citizen feedback when organizing future events.

Event LLC was contracted by the local administration to organize Victory Day, winning a tender worth 3.2 million rubles. The same company had previously organized the Maslenitsa festival in Krasnoye Selo.