Profile of Semyon Filippovsky after dog corpses found in shelter

In early January, dead and emaciated dogs were found at the «Antidogkhunter» shelter of the «Station for Emergency Aid» animal aid fund in Zekamsk, Perm. The face of this institution is Semyon Filippovsky, a notorious animal rights activist in Perm, but he is not listed in the organization«s documents. Accusations of dog murder were immediately leveled against him by Perm volunteers, and the police opened a criminal case. We recall Semyon»s history in this profile.

A Tangled Past

Semyon Filippovsky«s past is tangled and little is known about it. There are sources» words explaining this with personal history, but by law this information is non-disclosable. Semyon himself told our journalists about 10 years ago that he had a car wash and a cafe in Perm. The «Kontur Focus» service has no information about Semyon«s businesses or any other data about him.

«Kontur Focus» is an open service for searching and analyzing information about people and companies. It collects and consolidates data from open sources (media, courts, state registries, social networks, and others).

According to Filippovsky himself, he created the shelter after a personal tragedy — in 2016, his dog died. It was hit by a car and dumped in a ditch. After this shock, in May 2016, the man created a shelter for dogs where sick animals were kept and treated.

On February 4, 2017, a group «SSP Zoohelp Antidogkhunter Perm» was created on VKontakte. Semyon himself came into journalists« sight earlier — he actively talked about his activities immediately after opening the aid station: for example, in 2016, the »Antidogkhunter« movement and the rehabilitation center »Staff City« announced an action to save the bear Umka, which lived at a roadside cafe in Chaikovsky. Then Semyon dug for three hours in frozen ground to rescue a puppy, saved a moose calf hit by a car, the dog Basik, which was beaten and shot by sadists, and the dog Max with amputated paws.

One of Filippovsky«s charges was the Alabai Lavash from a cooperative, who was stabbed 12 times. Over time, he died. Thanks to this story, all of Russia learned about Semyon.

According to the «Kontur Focus» system, the «Station for Emergency Aid» fund was registered on March 26, 2021. In 2022, the organization tried to conclude a contract for 366,000 rubles (approximately $3,700 at current rates) with the MCE «Service for Handling Ownerless Animals,» but the procurement was deemed unsuccessful. Semyon Filippovsky is not among the founders and directors; the organization«s president is Yekaterina Fominykh, who was at the shelter during the raid.

In 2024 and 2025, the station was inspected by the West Ural Interregional Directorate of the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resource Use due to the shelter keeping red-listed animals without permission and because of the illegal seizure of a lynx. The document with inspection results is not attached, but here is the basis indicated by the supervisory service: «Information was received by the Directorate about the illegal seizure of a lynx in the village of Yuzhny, Usolsky District, Perm Krai, by the Animal Aid Fund »Station for Emergency Aid« (TIN 5904388033).»

In the «Courts of General Jurisdiction» section of the «Kontur Focus» system, there is mention of a court in 2024. The dispute was over property and rights to it. According to the document, the lawsuit was filed by a woman who gave her toy terrier Tyson for treatment at the emergency aid station — he had a broken spine, and other clinics did not take the pet. The court act states that there is evidence in the case that the plaintiff asked the fund for two months to return the dog because they did not report on its health condition, and then hid Tyson«s death. The emergency aid station was ordered to pay moral damages to the owner in the amount of 8,000 rubles (approximately $80 at current rates).

Interestingly, the defendants in this lawsuit — Fominykh Yekaterina Nikolayevna and Fillipovskaya (in the document the surname is written exactly like that, probably by mistake) Yelena Yuryevna, Semyon Filippovsky is not there. On the website of the Sverdlovsky District Court, the defendants« full names are confirmed. Who Yelena Filippovskaya or Fillipovskaya is unknown; our sources say that she and Semyon are one person, but there is no official confirmation.

Sources of 59.RU say that Yelena Filippovskaya was tried in other regions of Russia in past years, cases were under articles «Violation of Inventor»s and Patent Rights,« »Illegal Acquisition, Storage, Transportation, Manufacture, Processing of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances or Their Analogues« and »Robbery.« In the late »90s and early 2000s, Yelena was declared a federal fugitive.

Another source of 59.RU, close to law enforcement, claims that crimes by Yelena Filippovskaya have been recorded since the «80s. »She started serving time since the «80s, served in Mordovia and Chuvashia, last released from Chuvashia in February 2009. There was no such person in colonies of Perm Krai,» — told 59.RU.

What a Former Station Employee Says

The guy Arseny, whose exposé videos are now circulating on social networks, worked at the station from 2020 to 2024 — fed animals, cleaned in the inpatient department, and went on calls with Semyon. According to him, the first he saved was the dog Joker, who had his mouth shot through. The dog was operated on and given to people who initially contacted «Antidogkhunter.»

«In 2024, I moved, my visits to the station decreased. But when I came, I tried to stop by there,» — explained Arseny to 59.RU. — «Such horror as was discovered (Arseny means the moment volunteers arrived at the shelter after the January holidays, — editor»s note) was never there before. This is said by volunteers who also came there. In 2025, I ended my cooperation with the emergency aid station. What went wrong — I cannot comment, since I really wasn«t there the last year.»

On social networks, Arseny is accused of stealing animals at Semyon Filippovsky«s request. However, the young man himself denies this. He recalls the loudest story — how he was accused of stealing the Staffordshire terrier Molly from Kazan. The dog was found near railway tracks in Tatarstan — then Arseny was nearby and came for her. He claims that he immediately took her to the nearest clinic, where the dog was given painkillers and the bleeding was stopped. He drove Molly to another clinic in Kazan, where the dog»s owners also arrived.

«The owners offered to help take the dog to the second clinic and perform euthanasia. But in our shelter, there were animals with such injuries, we treated them and they survived. We, with the owner, together took the dog to Perm,» — told Arseny to 59.RU. — «Why everyone accuses me of this — I don»t know. They also say that in 2022 I allegedly killed several dogs.«

Vets Won«t Refuse Any Dog, No Matter Who Brings It In

Despite the fact that there was a medical room at the shelter, the most complex patients until 2021 were sent to the veterinary clinic «Friend.» But Semyon often conflicted with doctors and accumulated large debts, so he was refused further assistance, the clinic«s management told 59.RU.

At the clinic«s branch on Heroes of Khasan, a piggy bank with a sign »Antidogkhunter« is still periodically brought, but this is not agreed with the management.

«I have been trying to explain to other animal rights activists all my life why we worked with Filippovsky. They bring a broken dog to the appointment! I assure you, no matter who brings that dog — the vet won»t refuse,« — explains an administration employee to 59.RU. — »Because he sees that the dog really needs help. That«s the psychology of a vet. And last of all, they will think about who brought it, who will pay, and so on. But with Semyon there were conflicts over money and postoperative care for patients — he poorly followed recommendations. As it turned out, even some structures were not removed.»

By structures, bone fusion staples are implied, which were found in dogs during examination.

The clinic says that a couple of years ago, another «Filippovsky»s patient« came to them, but another person brought it. Therefore, doctors had no questions. For this, the clinic is still harassed by other animal rights activists.

«The dog got under a train. How could they refuse? And animal rights activists have been attacking us for years. I explain to them. How not to take a dog from under a train?»

Scandals Around Semyon

The first scandal happened in 2018 — on July 30, in the community «Zoohelp Antidogkhunter Perm» on VKontakte, a financial report was posted. It featured a car stereo and acoustic system for nine thousand rubles (approximately $90 at current rates), Perm media wrote.

Volunteers explained the purchase by the need to equip the animal ambulance vehicle.

«The acoustics were bought with one purpose — there is Bluetooth, through which you can talk and not hold the phone in your hands,» — explained Semyon Filippovsky. — «If you at least once try to go on a call with us, you will understand what it is needed for. Moreover, funds for equipping the vehicle were transferred by a specific person specifically for targeted use. The same person transferred money for buying a printer and air conditioner for the SSP premises.»

Another scandal happened on September 30, 2019, when Maryam Belyaeva came to the shelter territory — the president of the «Planet of Good» fund, with which a contract was concluded for renting the station premises. She is also the head of the Perm private shelter «Staff City,» which in 2016 jointly with «Antidogkhunter» launched an action. Then Maryam stated that she came to check how the shelter works, because its creation is her idea, but rumors reached that Semyon spends money on his own needs. A conflict arose on the spot and Maryam complained that Semyon took her smartphone and started copying personal information.

In 2020, the proceedings continued. According to data from a published resolution on refusal to initiate a criminal case on a VKontakte page with the nickname «Kristina Frolova,» a lawsuit against Maryam was filed by a certain Travkina Yu.V. and Filippovskaya E.Yu. They indicated that Belyaeva tried together with a private security company to enter the shelter on Prichalnaya, 5, threatened to blow up a gas cylinder if not let in, broke the fence and doors.

However, the showdown did not affect the station«s work and Filippovsky»s team continued to deal with animals. For example, in 2024, Semyon tried to figure out who is mass killing dogs in Gayva.

The Last Scandal

During the January holidays, volunteers discovered something terrible at the shelter on Prichalnaya, 5 — dog corpses, survivors were severely emaciated and sitting in their own excrement. One of the dogs was eating its fellow — according to volunteers, there was nothing else to eat. It is unknown how long animals lived in such conditions.

Maryam Belyaeva and other activists gathered volunteers, broke down the fence and rescued the survivors. The dogs were taken to city shelters, another part was immediately taken by people.

Police were on duty at the shelter during the spontaneous rally, after which Semyon and his accomplices were taken to the department for questioning. And then the Ministry of Internal Affairs opened a criminal case under the article «Cruelty to Animals» — but in fact, not against specific individuals.

We asked Semyon why his animals were emaciated, why the shelter was neglected, and where the money went if not for treatment.

«Don»t collect gossip — «one granny said,» «tests showed.» Don«t make me laugh. We bought food at the wholesale market every day and gnawed it ourselves. We have all the documents. And you continue to collect gossip,» — Semyon emotionally explained to 59.RU.

A day before our conversation, a post appeared in the «Antidogkhunter» community on VKontakte. It says that the corpses in the enclosures are two dogs that were killed by others. Another four dogs, according to them, died from enteritis. There was no ability to control the animals for some time because shelter employees were sick, and no one came to help them. There was no money for the disposal of dead animals.

«Regarding »emaciated dogs«: who remembers the plague that hit the city in the summer of 2022? It passed through all shelters. Our neighbors lost 70 animals, others — 45. And if they read this, they will understand what I»m writing about. The footage shows only animals with weight loss — this is 20% of all who are there. Those who look normal simply weren«t filmed. And also: 70% — these are animals that have lived with us for many years. Why didn»t they die earlier if we «fed them once a week»?«

According to the fund«s administration, two dogs killed an old dog in front of the police, because the old-timer was released from the enclosure. Another corpse was found in a refrigerator, in a sealed room that was no longer used to reduce costs. The fund says that the »raiders,« that is, other volunteers, opened the enclosures and scattered food on purpose, and president Yekaterina Fominykh was beaten by the crowd.

We tried to contact Semyon again, to which he responded that he does not want to talk to our journalists, but will give a comment after the investigation.

How Semyon Behaves on Social Networks

A couple of days after the attack on the aid station, Semyon again began to actively appear on social networks. He still calls on Perm residents for financial help for the remaining 12 dogs and often makes references to supporters of Maryam Belyaeva, and to his own — too.

«Question to the imbeciles. Posts about Masha regularly came out for 4 years. Was the brain only enough to steal her over the fence? And did you really save dogs?», «I thank all who support our »pack.« I»ll say for those who noticed changes in my lexicon. «Pack» — these are people who stand back to back, and I know that betrayal will not follow,« »They will try to bring you down just like me, and they will bring down. And I will go further,« »Next — dogs that were taken for fostering, and which animal rights activists ask me to save. Have you all gone crazy? Finally, turn on your brain,« »P.S. Wolves always stand for their pack. Jackals feed on carrion.«

Also, Semyon claims that neither he nor his colleagues are in the status of accused or even witnesses — the case was opened under the article «Cruelty to Animals,» but in fact, not against specific individuals. Now he is trying to return the residents who were taken by volunteers to the aid station — one of the women who took a dog to herself says that Semyon came to her together with police officers. Filippovsky himself does not hide this and writes in posts of his communities on social networks that he will return the animals.

«We are collecting information about where our animals from SSP were taken — in particular those who lived with us since 2017, 2020. Especially since they are not emaciated and not subjected to »sadist«s abuse.» And we will take them back. Naturally, all animals from the shelter «Vernost» will be returned on legal grounds,« — stated Filippovsky in his community »SSP Zoohelp Antidogkhunter Perm.« on VKontakte.

Why Semyon Needs All This

We turned to a person who has long worked with animals and knows about Semyon«s activities. To the question of why Filippovsky needs dogs and the shelter itself, he answered the following:

«There are two types of protectors: those who walk the streets, collect dogs, save, as it seems to them — they are all paupers there, because they spend every penny on these dogs. The second type — like Filippovsky or Maslova, who fights with him,» — told an expert to 59.RU. — «Media people, know how to collect a certain amount of money and live off it. They simply don»t know how to earn money otherwise.«

Journalists of 59.RU will continue to monitor the development of events.