A family in Siberia, Russia, are mourning the loss of their newborn daughter who died after she was attacked by the family dog – a dachshund – while her parents were sleeping. In the morning, the baby’s mother found her child’s lifeless body, covered in bite marks. What makes the situation even more tragic is that the family had recognized the dog’s growing aggression. They tried to find a solution, but their efforts were thwarted by professionals. Sadly, their suspicions were confirmed after it was too late.
The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation found that the dog attacked the child while she slept, Russian media reported. “During the night of March 10 this year, in an apartment on Kommunistichesky Avenue, a pet dachshund bit a baby girl born in 2025 while she was sleeping in her crib. Her mother later found the child’s lifeless body with multiple bite wounds,” the Investigative Committee shared.
The Russian Federation is investigating the incident to determine if the child’s death was the result of negligence. If the parents are found guilty of death by negligence, the maximum penalty is two years in prison.
Sausage dog kills baby after jumping tot’s crib while family slept pic.twitter.com/n4fKoHvT7C
— The Sun (@TheSun) March 14, 2025
Reports claim the dog strangled the baby by taking “a firm grip on the baby’s neck.” The Russian Federation is outlining the circumstances that led to the incident, which occurred less than a month after the baby was born, the Irish Star reported.
The dog owners said prior to the attack, the dog had exhibited aggressive behavior that had intensified after the birth of the baby, according to the U.S. Sun. As a result, the parents took the dog to the veterinarian to have it euthanized. The vet reportedly refused to perform the procedure because the dog was healthy.
As a temporary solution, the parents tied the dog to a leash every evening. But on the night of the incident, the child’s father had forgotten to do so, the U.S. Sun reported. A family member told the media that the child’s mother blames herself for the baby’s death. The relative also said that the dog, who was 8 years old, had been aggressive to its owners.
“And when the second child was born in the family in February, the aggression only increased,” the family member added, per the news outlet.
The family member said the parents took the dog to several clinics to be euthanized but they all refused. Since the incident, the dog has been put down.
Dachshunds are a popular breed for pets, particularly in the UK, where they are the fourth most popular breed among pet owners, according to The Independent. Still, they can be problematic. Initially bred to hunt badgers and rabbits out of burrows, they can be aggressive. The aggression manifests most with people they do not know.
