Police in Russia's Republic of Bashkortostan are investigating the deaths of 18 dogs, including several puppies, which were found on April 12 in a forest near the city of Sterlitamak. Local activists blame the company Alisa, which is responsible for locating and taking care of stray dogs. Alisa's director, Flarit Nurgaliyev, rejected the accusations. In February, police in Russia's southwestern city of Astrakhan launched a probe into alleged financial fraud after investigating the operations of an animal shelter where some 60 dogs were found dead and mutilated two months earlier. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Idel.Realities, click here.
