News

Investigative bodies of the Investigative Committee of Russia again draw attention to the increasing number of attacks on citizens by stray dogs, which cause irreparable injuries and are often the cause of their deaths. Thus, on November 12, 2021 in a deserted place near the railway crossing of the city of Langepas a 43-year-old local resident was attacked by a pack of dogs. The woman died a few hours later in a medical facility from bite wounds she sustained. The Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra is investigating the criminal case (Part 2, Article 293 of the Criminal Code of Russia).

In addition, cases of dogs attacking children were recently recorded in the Smolensk and Novosibirsk Regions. The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia Alexander Ivanovich Bastrykin instructed the head of investigative departments in Smolensk Region A. Ukhanov and the acting head of the investigative department in Novosibirsk Region A. Badulin to report on the progress of verification activities.  The progress of these inspections is placed under control of the Central Office of the Investigative Committee.

Similar cases of attacks by stray animals were the subject of inspections in the Omsk, Saratov, Sakhalin and other regions.

In Kostroma Region a criminal case is being investigated into attack of stray dogs on minors in Kostroma city because of negligence of the officials of Kostroma city administration and MKU Kostroma Animal Keeping Center who in violation of the current legislation did not take measures to catch stray animals and isolate them as a result of which from January to March 2021 stray dogs repeatedly showed aggression towards citizens, including three minors, causing various physical injuries to them.  And in the Orenburg Region, investigators continue investigation of criminal case on the attack of stray animals on minor resident of Orenburg city on the fact of negligence of officials of department of housing and communal services of administration of Orenburg city under Part 1 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code of Russia (negligence).  

Investigation as part of ongoing inspections and preliminary investigations will provide a legal assessment of the actions (inaction) of specific officials from among employees of local administrations and organizations responsible for the capture of stray animals.

The investigation is establishing whether there have been similar cases of aggressive behavior of dogs against citizens in the listed regions before. Also, during the investigation of criminal cases and ongoing procedural checks, the Investigative Committee agencies determine the causes and conditions that contributed to the commission of these crimes, and measures are taken to eliminate the occurrence of such incidents in the future.