There are no federal laws in Russia that protect animals. Animals are protected only by a small section of the Penal Code. Cases of animal abuse go by unpunished and local authorities frequently slaughter hundreds of strays, breaking the existing laws and arousing mass protests. Local residents may wake up to discover the carcasses of dozens of animals on the streets, and brutal murders often occur in front of passers-by, including children and the elderly. Only recently, a video emerged on the Internet, showing horrendous crimes of animal cruelty committed by men in the Russian army. The content of the video has been too graphic for the public, but involved a vicious killing of dogs by means of a shovel and a knife (the petition picture is a sample of what the footage contained). Information on this particular incident may be found here: http://solife.ru/component/content/article/15-news/46-2010-01-28-10-31-58​  

Current copy of the Russian Federation Federal Law, "The Protection of Animals From Cruelty" (in Russian):

http://www.akdi.ru/gd/proekt/078814GD.SHTM

This federal law aims to prevent the suffering and death of animals from abuse. It shall come into force after its official publication, however, although introduced several years ago, it has not yet been enforced.

Related petition:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/unpunished-shocking-animal-murders-in-russia/