The case of the stolen puppy in Sochi has reached the court.

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The case of the stolen bull terrier puppy in Sochi has reached the court after three years. The dog's owner claims that the kidnapper should also be charged under the article on animal cruelty, while the accused stated that the puppy was thrown at her.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", in September 2025, a woman suspected of stealing a bull terrier puppy in Sochi was detained in St. Petersburg. The dog's owner managed to initiate a theft case but is convinced that the kidnapper should be held accountable for animal cruelty.

The case of the theft of a purebred bull terrier puppy named Peppa in the Khostinsky district of Sochi has been transferred to court. The charge under paragraph "b" of part 2 of article 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (theft causing significant damage to a citizen) has been brought against a 47-year-old individual entrepreneur from St. Petersburg. "The hearing is scheduled for August 25," said a representative of the Khostinsky district court to the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot" .

The puppy, worth 123,000 rubles, went missing in the fall of 2023 from the gardening association "Intourist". The dog's owner, a 60-year-old pensioner Elena Pozhidaeva, personally put up flyers and questioned neighbors. Witnesses confirmed that they saw a resident of St. Petersburg with the puppy in her hands, and whining could be heard from her house.

Despite the provided video recordings and eyewitness testimonies, a criminal case was only initiated in November 2023 against an "unidentified person". Two months later, the investigation was suspended. Only after numerous complaints from Pozhidaeva's lawyer about the delays by the investigators of the Khostinsky police department and the announcement of the accused in federal wanted list was the case brought to court.

Pozhidaeva, along with animal rights activists, saw the emaciated puppy through the bathroom window of the entrepreneur's house in the gardening association "Platan" in Sochi. Neighbors confirmed that the owner of the property had been absent for several days, leaving the animal without food and water in a locked cage. Upon arrival, law enforcement refused to break into the house, which led one of the volunteers to retrieve the dog at their own risk. Now the volunteers fear that they may be charged under article 139 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (violation of the inviolability of the home).

Elena Pozhidaeva also pointed out the systematic delays in the case by the investigation and the cruelty towards the animal - the puppy was also attempted to be branded.

The accused entrepreneur does not admit guilt. She told the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot" that the dog was "thrown at her", and the victim is extorting money for legal and investigative costs.

Lawyer Roman Vasilyev analyzed the situation and commented on it to the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot".

"The fact of the discovery of the stolen property - the puppy in the house [of the entrepreneur], supported by witness testimonies and materials of the criminal case, provides strong grounds for bringing charges under part 2 of article 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The claims of the 'thrown' dog require evidence from the defense, while the victim has documents of ownership, veterinary examinations, and video recordings," the lawyer explained.

"According to the complaint from the victim's lawyer (a copy is available to the "Caucasian Knot"), the investigation committed procedural violations: video recordings were not seized in a timely manner, a search was not conducted, and key witnesses were not questioned. The reason for such delays is often the overload of law enforcement agencies or the unwillingness to investigate cases related to pets, which are formally equated to property in civil law (article 137 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation)," the lawyer continued.

According to Vasilyev, "article 139 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation punishes illegal entry into a home against the will of the resident." "However, in this case, the actions of the volunteers can be interpreted as actions taken in a state of extreme necessity (article 39 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) - to eliminate a danger that directly threatened the life of the animal (death from starvation and dehydration), if this danger could not be eliminated by other means. Due to the inaction of police officers, saving the animal was the only way to prevent its death, which excludes the criminal liability of the volunteers," he added.

Animal rights activists reported that they are eagerly awaiting the court and intend to attend the hearing to support the puppy's owner. "On August 25, we will come to court because we have been waiting for it for three years, and because such situations of torture and theft of animals happen often in Sochi, but all goes unpunished for such 'animal lovers'. Therefore, if the court issues a harsh sentence, we will only say 'thank you'," said animal rights activist Nastya.

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