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Rusik was the first [1] 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. [2]
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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. [1]
Rusik died in the line of duty in June 2003, [3] when he was hit by a car during an inspection, immediately after searching a bus. [4] He had apparently found smuggled sturgeon in the same car some time before, according to personnel at the police checkpoint. [1] Some local sources expressed their belief that Rusik was the object of a contract killing, but this is highly unlikely[ citation needed ]. Rusik was a tabby with only a year's service at the time of his death. [5]