A library in Moscow expelled its resident cat following a complaint letter from a patron. Markiz, a long-haired black-and-white cat, had been a fixture at the library in the Strogino district of northwestern Moscow for eight years.
The decision to relocate Markiz came after library visitor Igor Pochkin, a pensioner, wrote a letter to the library’s management expressing concerns about the cat’s presence, alleging it created a “dangerous epidemiological environment.”
Pochkin, who has been a daily visitor to the library for eight years, was described as confrontational and someone who had previously filed complaints against library employees.
Despite Markiz having all the necessary medical documentation and being up-to-date on vaccinations, librarians caring for the cat were compelled to separate from him.
The head of the State Duma’s Environmental Committee, Vladimir Burmatov, defended Markiz, highlighting that there are no rules prohibiting cats in libraries.
He cited examples of cats living in public dining establishments without objections from consumer watchdog Rospotrebnadzor.
Over 150 library visitors have reportedly signed a petition urging the return of Markiz. The controversy follows a recent incident in Russia where a pet cat named Twix was thrown from a train and died in freezing conditions, prompting the head of Russia’s Investigative Committee to order an investigation into the incident.
