Press Release, 16.09.2025

Photo: Conditions at the DogTown shelter / Photo from the Mona Telegram channel

Yabloko party Chairman Nikolai Rybakov sent an appeal to Public Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov, demanding punishment for animal abusers – the owners of the DogTown dog shelter.

In his appeal, Rybakov noted that initially the suspects were charged with fraud (Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), however this charge was dropped, and the investigation continues only under Article 245 Part 2 of the Criminal Code – “cruelty to animals” – which carries a maximum penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment. At the same time, no preventive measure corresponding to the gravity of the crime and public danger of the act has been chosen against the accused.

The party leader called for verification of the legality of reclassifying the charges and the appropriateness of excluding fraud from the investigation, assessment of the actions of investigative bodies and the public prosecutor’s office in choosing preventive measures for the suspects, and bringing the guilty to full accountability in accordance with the law.

“Consideration of this case should demonstrate that cruelty to animals in Russia cannot go unpunished, and that the law protects not only people, but also those who entrust their lives to them and are completely dependent on them. Animals are part of our lives and our families, they accompany people, provide emotional support and trust. Crimes against them represent not only an attack on a living being, but also an undermining of the moral values that bind people together in society,” Rybakov emphasised.

It should be noted that at the beginning of September 2025, numerous media outlets reported facts of cruelty to animals in the city of Chekhov, the Moscow region. The owners of the DogTown dog shelter are suspected of systematically abusing dogs, which is confirmed by video materials.

According to media reports, dogs in the shelter were subjected to beatings, painful twisting of leads and were kept in conditions that did not meet the requirements for humane treatment. Dozens of dogs became victims, with approximately 50 pets mentioned as having suffered.