Kuban animal rights activists have secured the opening of a case regarding the brutal killing of a dog.

Police in the Tikhoretsky District have opened a criminal case for animal cruelty following the killing of a dog in the village of Alekseyevskaya. The suspect has been released on his own recognizance. Animal rights activists intend to seek the harshest possible sentence for him.

An authorized investigator at the Tikhoretsky District Police Department made the decision to open a criminal case under Article 245 of the Russian Criminal Code on February 25 based on an expert's findings. The killing of the dog in the village of Alekseyevskaya occurred almost a month earlier, on January 28, and the police registered the report on January 30.

The examination of the dog's body, seized from a private home on Zapadnaya Street in Alekseyevskaya, was conducted by Alexander Shevchenko, an expert at the Kropotkin Regional Veterinary Laboratory. According to the expert report of February 13, 2026, the cause of death was a comminuted fracture of the parietal and occipital bones of the skull and a crush injury to the brain. The animal was negative for viral diseases such as rabies and canine distemper.

The report stated that the dog's body bore multiple mechanical injuries caused by human actions. The animal had been struck with a blunt object, resulting in fractures and a crush injury to the brain, and then suffered sharp injuries—its head and left front paw were amputated. The scapula and humerus of the left limb were missing from the remains. The expert pointed out signs of cruelty: the animal could have experienced pain and suffering during the process of inflicting injuries and death.

Animal welfare inspector Denis Dzhalaganiya participated in the proceedings at the request of the police. "The local police officer called me and asked for my help. He sent a car for me, and we waited for the investigative team. I participated in the inspection of the scene, took the body for safekeeping, and a few days later, I took it myself for examination, having first obtained the police officer's warrant for the examination," Dzhalaganiya told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to him, the suspect's neighbor contacted the police. "She heard the dog yelping, ran through the garden, and saw him beating the dog with a stick. She asked him to stop so she could help the dog, but he didn't listen," the animal rights activist reported.

According to him, the dog didn't belong to the man. "The dog wasn't his; he caught it on the street or lured it and killed it. He killed it in his shed," said Dzhalaganiya, noting that he was "not allowed" to photograph the dead dog; only a forensic scientist took the photos.

The suspect, according to the animal rights activist, lives alone, and his house doesn't even have electricity, which indicates unemployment and a dissolute lifestyle. "I saw him; he was drunk, completely dirty, looked about 40 or 50 years old. A typical village alcoholic. He says he was paralyzed. In any case, intoxication is an aggravating circumstance. We will seek the harshest possible verdict," Denis Dzhalaganiya stated. According to him, the sadist has been placed under a travel ban.

Commenting on the situation as a whole, the animal rights activist noted that cases of animal cruelty have become more frequent in the past three or four years. "I think cruelty in society is on the rise, and there's been a surge in animal cruelty. A person, a child, could easily have been in the dog's place. The neighbor did a great job trying to help the dog, and thanks to her, this ghoul will be held criminally responsible," he added.

Part 1 of Article 245 of the Russian Criminal Code provides for a fine of up to 300,000 rubles, compulsory or corrective labor, or imprisonment for up to three years. If the investigation classifies the actions under Part 2 of the same article—in cases of particular cruelty, sadistic methods, or other aggravating circumstances—the punishment could be up to five years in prison.

Denis Dzhalaganiya noted that he intends to seek a real five-year sentence for the sadist, "so that others will not dare to abuse our smaller brothers."

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that in July 2025, police in the Adler district of Sochi opened a criminal case for animal cruelty based on a complaint from residents of the village of Nizhnyaya Shilovka, who on July 15 discovered a dead Alabai dog with its mouth and paws taped shut. The incident caused shock in the village, and some parents decided not to let their children outside until the crime was solved and the animal abusers were found.