"A piece of finger remained in the glove." The story of a Minsk resident bitten by a stranger's dog in a park

"A piece of finger remained in the glove"

A few years ago, Iryna became a widow. After some time, a gentle dog named Aika unexpectedly appeared in her life. It helped fill the aching void that arose in her soul after the departure of a loved one.

Павялічыць

"One winter, my daughter and I went to the dacha, and someone had abandoned a dog there with six puppies. We picked them up, and over time, we found homes for all of them, even their mother. But half a year later, one of the new owners called: saying he was divorcing his wife, asking us to take the dog back, or they would send it to Hurskaha," Iryna recounts.

The grown-up puppy with a cute floppy ear resembled a clumsy bear cub. Iryna agreed to keep it until a new family could be found. The dog was taken and returned four times — for a variety of reasons.

"When Aika was returned for the fourth time, I kept him. I decided that if it's like this, then he's my dog," says Iryna.

The dog quickly settled in. Iryna often walked him in Kotovka Park, located near her home. Over the years, this park had become a favorite spot for dog owners; a regular circle of acquaintances had formed there. In general, everyone knew each other well.

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On that day, February 3, around eleven in the morning, Iryna and Aika were already returning home.

"On the way, we met Siarhei (name changed. — Onliner's note). I stopped to say hello, asked how he was. Siarhei complained that his dog wasn't eating well at home, and immediately poured food directly onto the bench."

Further, according to Iryna, everything happened in a fraction of a second: her Aika instinctively lunged towards the bench, and Siarhei's dog rushed to intercept, apparently defending its food. Iryna, according to her, instantly pulled back her pet.

"I shouted "No!" at him, hoping Siarhei would also take back his dog. I took only a couple of steps forward, and then his dog lunged at us again and latched onto my hand. I felt a sharp pain, pulled my hand out of the glove, and saw that part of my finger was left inside."

An ambulance was called for Iryna by a woman who was standing next to her at the time of the incident. The injured woman was taken to City Hospital No. 2.

Павялічыць

"In the emergency room, they immediately asked: 'Are we going to report this to the police?' I refused. At that moment, it seemed inappropriate: Siarhei and I had met in that park for over five years, never had conflicts. And my thoughts were occupied with something else: I needed to save my finger."

Iryna hoped that the phalanx could be reattached. But the doctors, she says, were firm: they said that after animal bites, there is a high risk of infection and tissue necrosis. They stopped the bleeding, stitched the blood vessels, and discharged her home the next day.

Then followed daily dressings at the polyclinic. Iryna consulted a well-known hand surgeon at a private medical center, hoping to restore the aesthetic appearance of her hand as much as possible. The operation was scheduled for February 17.

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"Unfortunately, shortly before that, tissue necrosis began at the bite site, and we had to save what could still be saved," the heroine sighs.

As a result, Iryna underwent resection of the distal phalanx of her third finger, and an amputation stump was formed. But even two months after the operation, blood supply to the finger has not been restored, and performing everyday household tasks is still very inconvenient for her.

"Both dogs are to blame"

And what about the dog owner? According to Iryna, the owner of the dog that bit her showed no initiative. She had to call him herself on the day of the incident: it was critically important for doctors to know if the animal was vaccinated against rabies. Otherwise, the woman would have had to undergo a painful course of anti-rabies prophylaxis — a standard procedure when it's unknown if the dog was vaccinated.

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"I only received a photo of the veterinary passport with vaccination marks, but no one even tried to apologize."

Later, Iryna decided to contact Siarhei officially and on March 4 sent him a letter proposing compensation for material expenses for treatment and necessary prosthetic costs, as well as for moral damages. At that time, she named an amount of 5,000 rubles.

"I really hoped that we would find a compromise. After all, we are both pensioners and could have reached a human agreement," the heroine reflects.

Five days later, Siarhei informed her via messenger that he had sent a response by registered mail.

The law does not establish precise deadlines for filing a police report, but it is important to consider a crucial nuance: according to Belarusian legislation, an administrative penalty under Article 16.30 of the Code of Administrative Offenses ("Violation of rules for keeping domestic animals, resulting in harm to human health or property") can be imposed no later than two months from the date of its commission or discovery. That is, if this period has passed, a person cannot be brought to administrative responsibility, and any initiated process must be stopped. This is why human rights defenders advise not to delay in filing a police report.

Павялічыць

The incident in Kotovka Park occurred on February 3. Having received no reply within the stipulated period and assuming that a constructive dialogue with Siarhei would not be possible, Iryna filed a police report on March 11. The reply from the dog owner reached her at the moment when law enforcement officers had already begun their investigation based on her statement.

Court Decision

Journalists tried to contact Siarhei to hear his version of events, but as of the time of publication, they were unable to get his comment. Therefore, for now, we can only rely on the facts presented in the documents provided to the editorial office by Iryna.

On March 30, 2026, the court considered the incident in Kotovka Park. The owner of the dog that bit the woman was found guilty of committing an offense under Part 2 of Article 16.30 of the Code of Administrative Offenses ("Violation of rules for keeping animals, resulting in harm to human health or property").

The sanction for this article provides for a fine of 10 to 30 base values, community service, or administrative arrest. In this case, the court limited itself to a fine at the lower end, giving the dog owner 12 base values — 540 rubles.

Павялічыць

In court, Siarhei pleaded guilty and explained: on February 3, around eleven in the morning, he was indeed walking his dog (about 25 centimeters tall at the withers) without a leash or muzzle in an area not designated for dog walking. According to the man, when the pets tangled, Iryna grabbed her dog, and he, at that moment, was trying to pull his own back. But the dog broke free and lunged at the woman again. The owner, he assures, did not see the actual bite — he only heard Iryna's scream: "He bit off my finger!"

A witness to the incident, who called the ambulance, remembered the details differently. According to her, Siarhei began feeding his dog, and the heroine's dog approached it. The dogs tangled. The owners separated them. Siarhei tried to attach the leash, but the dog broke free and attacked again.

"Then I heard a scream. When Iryna removed her glove, I saw the bitten-off phalanx of her finger and called an ambulance," the witness explained in court.

Iryna herself emphasized at the court hearing: Siarhei's dog was the first to lunge at her Aika. In the heroine's opinion, the man ignored the first attack, "after which his dog attacked a second time" and bit her hand.

Павялічыць

The dog owner, as mentioned above, pleaded guilty to the administrative offense and was fined. Iryna notes that the forensic medical examination, which was supposed to assess the severity of the injuries, was not included in the case materials by the time the court rendered its decision.

"My daughter and I tried to find out why this happened, we went to the police department reception. If I understood correctly, the deadlines were pressing: according to the law, there are only two months to bring someone to administrative responsibility, and the police were in a hurry to transfer the case to court," says the heroine. "Now I think: why didn't I file a report immediately?"

Iryna admits: her own decency and unwillingness to "spoil relations with a person" played against her.

"I decided to go public for one reason only: so that others don't repeat my mistakes and know that in such situations, you cannot delay."

Павялічыць

What now?

While this material was being prepared, Iryna was informed about the results of that belated expertise. The expert's conclusion was signed on March 31 — the day after the court issued its ruling.

However, it does not contain answers to the main questions. The expert stated that he was not provided with all the necessary medical documents, so it was "not possible" to establish the full extent of the injuries and their severity. A certain list of medical documents is required for a complete conclusion.

"The only thing left for me now is to file a civil lawsuit and privately prove what that February day in Kotovka Park cost me," says Iryna.

Павялічыць

If a dog attacks you: an expert's algorithm of actions

"Onliner" asked Aksana Davydzenka, chairwoman of the Association of Animal Protection Organizations, to explain how a person should legally act if attacked by a dog. Below is a step-by-step checklist.

1. Seek immediate help. If injuries are serious, call an ambulance to the scene. Simultaneously call 102. Calling a police squad immediately after the incident is the best way to record the fact of the attack "while the trail is hot."

2. Collect evidence. If the injury does not require immediate medical attention, try to document the situation at the scene, find out who witnessed the event and can later testify, and whether there are external video surveillance cameras nearby. Get phone numbers from witnesses, and take photos and videos yourself of the injuries, the animal, and the surroundings.

Important! You can photograph the faces of all participants in the event, including the presumed animal owner, but this information cannot be shared with anyone except representatives of law enforcement agencies, and it is also prohibited to publish it on social networks until a court decision is made on the case.

3. Provide complete information about rabies. When receiving medical care, provide detailed information to medical personnel about the circumstances of the injury to facilitate the possible prescription of anti-rabies prophylaxis.

Important! Find out from the animal's owner if it is vaccinated against rabies and, if so, when and where the vaccination was given.

4. Collect receipts and documents. During treatment, collect evidence of incurred expenses (medical documents, receipts), doctor's prescriptions. These documents should later be submitted for review.

5. Do not delay with the statement. If you did not call the police to the scene, without waiting for the completion of treatment, if possible, submit a written statement to the internal affairs bodies at your place of residence.

Important! In most cases, the period for administrative liability in Belarus is only two months. After this period, it will be impossible to punish the owner with a fine or arrest.

Appeal and civil lawsuit. After receiving the final decision from the internal affairs bodies or the court, you have the right to appeal it. The victim also has the right to compensation for harm caused to life and health, and compensation for moral damage. If the owner refuses to pay voluntarily, file a civil lawsuit in court.

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