Annotation

he article examines municipal law issues related to the implementation by local self-government bodies of powers in the field of the treatment of ownerless animals. The regulatory framework governing the activities of municipal animal shelters and the practice of exercising the relevant powers are analyzed. Based on the study of legislation, academic literature, and judicial practice, the author identifies law-enforcement problems associated with the formal functioning of shelters, insufficient control over the performance of municipal contracts, the lack of effective animal registration mechanisms, a shortage of facilities for animal accommodation, and inadequate financial support for the delegated powers. The article substantiates the need to improve the organizational and legal framework of municipal shelters through the development of animal registration systems, the establishment of uniform operational standards, and the creation of facilities for keeping animals that cannot be returned to their former habitat. It is concluded that the effectiveness of exercising the relevant powers depends not on the formal existence of legal regulation and infrastructure, but on the quality of their practical implementation.