Activists have described the condition of animals at the Aksai shelter as deplorable.

Treatment for dogs and cats taken from the Aksai animal shelter "Forgotten Hearts" continues; some died in the hospital. Activists say the surviving animals are planned to be handed over to new owners upon receipt of a written pledge of careful care.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," Tatyana Makarova, owner of the Aksai animal shelter "Forgotten Hearts," was detained on December 23, 2025, on suspicion of animal cruelty. After questioning, she was released, but a fire broke out in the shelter building, leading to her being detained again. She has become a suspect in a criminal case involving animal cruelty and death. Investigators questioned volunteers, animal rights activists, and local residents.

Animal rights activists and activists continue to provide assistance to the animals rescued from the Forgotten Hearts shelter. The condition of the surviving animals is so dire that some don't respond to treatment, animal rights activist Alena Demisheva from the "Four-Legged Soul" group told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

It's scary to imagine how they brought the dog to this state.

"It's too early to talk about saving all the animals that were there. Absolutely all the survivors need treatment and are currently receiving it. There are volunteers whose rescued animals died in hospital or during treatment," she said.

There is no talk yet of rehoming the dogs, the activist noted. "Many need socialization. One of the dogs I adopted, for example, still pees every time I touch her. It's scary to imagine how they brought her to this point. They were all rescued from the shelter, but some had to be anesthetized, especially the feral ones," she said.

We won't just give the animals away; they'll have to be interviewed first.

According to Demisheva, after the animals' treatment is complete, activists will begin looking for homes for them. "Those who want to give a home to these poor creatures will be able to interview a caregiver and take the fluffy creatures home, with the mandatory signing of a responsible care agreement. "We won't just give animals away to anyone; we'll do so only after a questionnaire, interview, and a contract, with unobtrusive follow-up," she said.

Animal rights activist from Donetsk, Yulia Pif, said she rescued more than 10 animals from Makarova's shelter. "Five dogs and six cats. All the dogs are in heated enclosures, and the cats are in cages in a separate house. Of the cats, only two have healthy eyes and runny noses. "We took them home for quarantine," she told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, adding that all of these animals need treatment.

A "Caucasian Knot" correspondent tried to get a comment from Tatyana Makarova, but she did not respond to calls or messages.

According to Ekaterina, one of the activists who visited Makarova's shelter and documented the animal carcasses, the shelter's owner is under travel restrictions. "And she doesn't communicate with anyone. We tried to get some information about the animals from her, but [we couldn't]. She didn't give up her seven cats, she swears that she will treat them," Ekaterina told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to her, investigative actions at the shelter have been completed. "They [security forces] were there several times, took all the bodies for examination, questioned those who were there that day," she noted.

A representative of the Rostov Region Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the agency had received numerous reports about the activities of the "Forgotten Hearts" shelter.

Many calls were received about the activities of the shelter.

"The hotline at "The hotline number +7 988 575-34-23 has received numerous calls about the activities of the Forgotten Hearts shelter. These are mostly citizens who have donated their animals or money to the shelter," a police officer responding to calls on the hotline reported.

The story of Makarova's shelter has become a source of mistrust for all animal rights activists, complained activist Alena Boeva.

"Many channels and chats are saying that all volunteers are like this, and how can you trust them now that the most famous shelter turned out to be like this. "We must draw the main conclusion from this situation: when you surrender your pet to a shelter, a foster home, or a final resting place, you must systematically request and demand videos and photos to ensure that everything is alright," she shared her opinion with a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to the activist, mistrust can lead to a reduction in animal welfare assistance. "Not all volunteers are bad. I know many good, worthy people. Let's be reasonable. "I understand that now, in light of these events, any assistance to other people who genuinely provide animals may cease. But animals need our help," said Alena Boeva.

Rostov-on-Don resident Nadezhda Kotova reported that she gave her dog to the "Forgotten Hearts" shelter for temporary care and was unable to get it back for a long time.

"I called and arranged a meeting with her so that she could come and return the dog to me. Each time, for some reason, she couldn't come to the house. Or she would come and say that my dog was in another house and that she had forgotten the keys," Kotova told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.