On July 26, Orsha District / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. Materials on the fact of cruel treatment of cormorant chicks have been transferred to the Lukomlsky rural council for the compilation of an administrative protocol and transfer to court, the prosecutor of Chashniki district Yevgeny Babenkov told a BELTA correspondent. After studying the materials provided by the Chashniki District Department of Internal Affairs, the district prosecutor's office decided to refuse to initiate a criminal case, but found signs of an administrative offense falling under Article 15.45 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Belarus - cruel treatment of animals. Based on this, the District Department of Internal Affairs transferred the materials to the Lukomlsky rural council for the compilation of an administrative offense report against a resident of Chashniki district, the prosecutor reported. As previously reported, dozens of cormorant chicks with cut-off beaks were found by ornithologists on an island in Lake Lukomlskoye in Chashniki district. The Chashniki District Department of Internal Affairs conducted a check on this fact. By decision of the district commission for rendering assistance to wild animals in distress, the district inspectorate, together with employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and members of the Belarusian Society of Hunters and Fishermen, captured the maimed birds, euthanized them and disposed of them. Euthanasia was the only way to prevent 28 birds with the upper part of their beaks cut off from dying a painful death by starvation. The case of cruel treatment of cormorant chicks is under the control of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. The cormorant is included in the list of wild animals of undesirable species, and its hunting is permitted. However, cruel treatment of any birds is unacceptable and punishable by law. According to the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Administrative Offences, cruel treatment of animals, resulting in their death or injury, entails a fine of 10 to 30 base units or administrative arrest.-0-

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