A chemistry professor identified as Dr Sardana Sleptsova, 53, has died after being attacked by a pack of stray dogs in the Russian city of Yakutsk.
According to reports, the teacher was attacked near the city’s horse racing stadium and Arctic State Agro-Technological University in extreme weather conditions that reached as low as -48C.
The chemistry professor, who is a polymer nanocomposites expert at the North-Eastern Federal University was found dead in the snow by a student named Semyon Alexeev.
The student was also attacked by the same pack of violent strays dogs who also attacked the teacher.
The dogs tore off his clothes, but fortunately for him, he fought them off and reported the discovery of Dr Sleptsova’s body.
Following the attack, the Yakutsk mayor, Yevgeny Grigoriev has ordered a state of emergency in the district where the attack happened, amid fears of new attacks.
“A maximum number of people will be mobilised to catch this pack of dogs.
We will do our best to prevent this pack from appearing again in the city. We will catch all untagged dogs.
We will mobilise all forces. Our priority is a city for people, not for dogs. Please be understanding.”
I offer my deepest, sincere condolences to [the professor’s] family and friends. This is an irreparable loss.” He said.
Meanwhile, Ex-mayor, Sardana Avksentyeva blamed a failure of Russian law for allowing strays to roam the streets of Siberian cities in harsh conditions.
“These are predators that hunt every day. Hunt us, our children. How many more deaths, bitten children and livestock are needed to stop this?” She said.
She demanded a new drive with proper funds to rid cities of stray dogs.
“Cities and villages should not be considered the natural habitat of stray dogs.” She added.
