State bailiffs in Kaluga have seized an American Staffordshire Terrier as collateral after its owner failed to make a court-ordered payment, a news report said Wednesday.
The dog's owner had been ordered to pay damages of 12,000 rubles ($240) after flooding the flat beneath her own home, but refused to cough up the cash, the TASS news agency reported, citing the regional branch of the Federal Bailiffs Service.
When the bailiffs went to her flat to see about collecting the money, the woman refused to let them in and used her two dogs to scare them off, the report said.
But instead of running off with their tails between their legs, the bailiffs seized one of the dogs — identified as an American Staffordshire Terrier, a sumptuously priced breed in Russia — as collateral.
The woman was given 10 days to come up with the cash. Otherwise, the dog will be sold and the profit will be used to pay off her debt, the bailiffs told TASS.
The report comes just days after bailiffs in the Stavropol region seized a pedigree hairless cat belonging to a man who had defaulted on his debt. He was also given 10 days to pay off his debt or face the prospect of losing his pet.
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.
