Rusik
{{Short description|Russian police sniffer cat}}
{{Expand language|topic=|langcode=ru|otherarticle=Русик (кот)|date=November 2024}}
Rusik was the firstStall, S. (2007) 100 Cats Who Changed Civilization: History's Most Influential Felines [https://books.google.com/books?id=coXIF8WbEKEC&lpg=PA166&dq=rusik%20cat&pg=PA166 p.166.] Quirk Books {{ISBN|1-59474-163-8}} Retrieved January 2012 Russian police sniffer cat in Stavropol, a city near the Caspian Sea. He made an important contribution in the search for hidden illegal cargoes of sturgeon fish, an endangered species, and caviar.Choron, S., Choron, H. & Moore, A. (2007) Planet Cat: A CAT-alog [https://books.google.com/books?id=shAHJQwXslYC&lpg=PA127&dq=rusik%20cat&pg=PA127 p.127.] Houghton Mifflin Harcourt {{ISBN|0-618-81259-8}} Retrieved January 2012
Rusik began his sniffing career when he first appeared at a police checkpoint in 2002. Following his adoption by the staff, Rusik demonstrated his ability to sniff out sturgeon-smugglers' stashes with accuracy. His talent for sniffing out poached fish soon found him taking over the job of the police's canine team member.
Rusik died in the line of duty in June 2003,{{Cite news |date=11 July 2003 |title=Под колесами браконьеров |trans-title=Under the wheels of poachers |url=https://iz.ru/news/278851 |work=Известия |language=Russian}} when he was hit by a car during an inspection, immediately after searching a bus.Allred, P.A. (2005) Cats' most wanted: the top 10 book of mysterious mousers, talented tabbies, and feline oddities [https://books.google.com/books?id=-VCWohlbCuoC&lpg=PT55&dq=rusik%20cat&pg=PT55 p.55.] Potomac Books, Inc. {{ISBN|1-57488-858-7}} Retrieved January 2012 He had apparently found smuggled sturgeon in the same car some time before, according to personnel at the police checkpoint. {{citation needed span|date=November 2024|Some local sources expressed their belief that Rusik was the object of a contract killing, but this is highly unlikely}}. Rusik was a tabby with only a year's service at the time of his death.{{Cite news |title=Кот Русик ловил не мышей, а браконьеров. И пал смертью храбрых |trans-title=Rusik the cat was hunting not mice but poachers. And died as a hero |url=https://iz.ru/news/278851 |work=Комсомольская правда |language=Russian}}
See also
References
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External links
- BBC News [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3055170.stm The purrfect crime fighter]
- BBC News [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3061243.stm Fishy end for feline sleuth]
- ABC News [http://www.abc.net.au/news/2003-07-15/curiosity-kills-sniffer-cat-rusik-dies-in-line-of/1448562 Curiosity kills sniffer cat: Rusik dies in line of duty]