Animal rights activists in Khabarovsk attempted to storm a dog shelter. They believe the animals are being mistreated there.
On Sunday, November 9, 2025, a group of animal rights activists attempted to enter the Khabarovsk "Kind Dog" shelter, which, according to the administration, houses approximately 1600 dogs. Shelter staff refused to allow the activists in, and a scuffle ensued; both sides called the police. Employees sustained injuries, and complaints were filed.
"Today, the commission, the veterinary department, the Legislative Assembly, the police, and the city administration were all present. Everyone who 'stormed' the shelter was also present. In the end, everything was fine. Nothing untoward was found. All the dogs were there, and no hungry or underweight dogs were found. The enclosures were clean," Regional Aspect quotes City Council Deputy Alexander Didenko as saying.
Against the background of solutions With several regions allowing euthanasia for stray animals, these debates are gaining national significance. Across the country, volunteers are reporting violations at shelters, including cases of dogs dying and starving, fueling public distrust of official inspections.
"Kind Dog" is a private shelter on Berezovskoye Highway, in its third year of operation. The shelter's manager claims that the dogs are fed once a day in winter with porridge containing meat and sausages (and dry food in summer) and that no "hungry or emaciated" dogs have been found. After animal activists attempted to break into the shelter, the administration decided to enter into a contract with a private security service to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
Earlier, on November 5, Didenko stated that following an inspection by the veterinary department, the complaint's allegations of a "catastrophic situation" were not confirmed: the enclosures were being cleaned, animal counts were being maintained, and no emaciated dogs were found. He also criticized some activists, calling the collections "business."
In 2025, a number of regions have already legalized the euthanasia of stray animals (besides Buryatia, laws have been passed in, among others, the Altai Krai, Kemerovo Oblast, and the Altai Republic); a similar project is being discussed in the Krasnoyarsk Krai. At the same time, public outrage is being sparked by recurring stories of animal cruelty: in the village of Peleduy in Yakutia, social media reports surfaced of captured dogs being kept in a metal container without access to food or water after a pack attacked a man. In the Altai Krai, according to the head of the region's veterinary department, approximately 80% of captured stray dogs were euthanized in the first half of 2025—this has become the subject of nationwide debate about acceptable measures.
