A French bulldog nicknamed Rafik died on the balcony of an apartment in the Teremky neighborhood of Kyiv. Its owner — a 37-year-old resident of the Holosiivsky district — left the dog on an open balcony on a hot day and left home. Without water, food, or the ability to escape from the sun.
What the investigation established
According to the investigation, the man left the animal locked on the balcony of his own apartment on a hot day. The dog spent a long time in direct sunlight without access to water, food, or the ability to escape the heat. As a result of prolonged exposure to high temperatures, the animal died.
The owner claimed it was punishment for disobedience. However, neighbors questioned by police painted a more systematic picture.
"The man had previously treated the dog cruelly: he used physical force against it"
— according to residents of the building, as reported by RBC-Ukraine citing police
A resident of one of the residential complexes in the Teremky neighborhood reported the incident to law enforcement. It was her appeal that triggered the criminal proceedings.
What article applies and what it carries
Investigators of the Holosiivsky police department under the procedural guidance of the Holosiivsky district prosecutor's office informed the man of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 299 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — cruel treatment of an animal resulting in its death.
The sanction of the article provides for restriction of liberty for a period of one to three years or imprisonment for a period of two to three years with confiscation of property. Actual imprisonment under this article in Ukraine is rarely imposed: the court takes into account the behavior of the defendant, his repentance, and other mitigating circumstances that may affect the sentence.
Why this is more than just crime news
French bulldogs are a brachycephalic breed: due to the structure of their skull, they tolerate heat critically poorly and overheat times faster than other dogs. Leaving such a dog on a sunny balcony without water — this is not negligence that can be explained by ignorance. The neighbors who called the police and the prosecutor's office that sent the case to court acted as provided by the law adopted in 2021 following a wave of public pressure to strengthen animal protection.
The question to the court is specific: will the punishment be real — or will the case end with a suspended sentence, as happens with the vast majority of proceedings under Article 299.
