Gautama Buddha taught compassion and self-control, but one of his bohemian Russian followers failed to heed this advice when her pet relieved itself on her floor.
Muscovite poetess Maria Depareit was hit with one year of community service for throwing her dog, Ava, out of a window last March, Moskovsky Komsomolets reported.
Depareit, 37, pleaded guilty to the act, which ended Ava's life. But she unsuccessfully appealed the additional decision to fine her 15 percent of her income for the duration of her community service, the newspaper reported last weekend.
Depareit, a housewife raising a disabled child, has a small following as a poetess, publishing poems about love and philosophy under the pseudonym Madona Ana.
Her account on social network VKontakte also describes her as an ardent Buddhist, a follower of the Diamond Way, a Western adaptation of a major school of Tibetan Buddhism promoted by famous Danish-born Lama Ole Nydahl.
Despite her words of love and compassion, animal rights activists will likely be pleased that she faces consequences for her crime.
Russian animal cruelty legislation has frequently been blasted as insufficient, allowing many animal abusers to dodge persecution.
Examples of such unscathed animal abusers include numerous "dog hunters" — vigilante killers who target stray dogs they claim are dangerous — as well as the owner of a parasailing business in the Krasnodar region who traumatized a donkey by sending it flying over a beach in a 2010 advertising stunt.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
