A Russian doctor has been accused of driving around a southwestern city for several days with a dead dog wedged in the front of his car.
Dr Valery Piskovets, who is also a politician, allegedly ran down the stray in Taganrog, near the Ukraine border by the Black Sea.
Witnesses claim that the impact did not kill the animal straight away, and say that for a time Dr Piskovets was driving around with the dog still alive.
Animal cruelty: A photo shows a dead dog stuck in the grill of a car allegedly belonging to Dr Valery Piskovets, a local politician in Taganrog, a city near the Ukraine border in Russia
A video shows the dead dog stuck in the grill of a parked white car, which is said to belong to Mr Piskovets.
Victoria Taranenko, who filmed the shocking sight, said: ‘A bastard is driving around the city who knocked over a dog with his car and didn’t even bother pulling the poor creature out after it got stuck in the bumper of his car.
Allegations: Dr Piskovets was reportedly driving around with the dog still alive
‘The dog was still alive when he knocked it down.
‘Many witnesses confirmed that he had been driving with the dog’s body like this for several days.’
However, she denied claims the stray might still be alive today.
‘A dog can’t be asleep for several days in the same position, baring its teeth like only a dead animal,’ she said.
Police said: ‘A woman complained about a case of animal cruelty that she witnessed.
‘Police accepted her claim and started checks.’
They established that the Nissan Tiida belonged to doctor and local politician Valery Piskovets, believed to be in his 40s, a member of Russia’s ruling United Russia party.
He is a councillor in his district close to Taganrog, on the Azov Sea.
Investigations are underway, said police.
No denial: Dr Piskovets was reported to police for animal cruelty, but has declined to comment
Dr Piskovets said: ‘I am too busy to comment now. I am talking to prosecutors, and to police. We are calmly going through the motions.’
He was quoted by a blogger as adding: ‘It happened about a week ago.
‘Within an hour this event had turned into some murky situation.’
Asked how the dog became trapped in the front of his car, he said: ‘I’ve got no clue.’
He refused to comment further, saying he was ‘extremely busy’.