Animal lovers in Russia are calling for the boycott of a popular pizza chain after a delivery worker in one outlet was fired for giving a blanket to a beloved stray dog in minus-20 degrees weather. The incident that began in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk has now snowballed into a matter of national importance.
Here’s what happened
The row involves Dodo Pizza, a popular pizza chain, and a dog named Dodobonya. According to a report in Grondo Plus TV, Dodobonya has been living outside a Dodo Pizza outlet in Chelyabinsk for the last one-and-a-half years.
The stray dog was looked after by employees and slept outside the shop after it closed for the day. Employees would cover it with a blanket as temperatures plunged in the Russian city. Known to all the employees and customers, Dodobonya had become sort of an unofficial mascot of Dodo Pizza.
All that changed when the branch hired a new manager, who forbade employees from feeding or looking after the beloved stray dog.
Delivery man fired
Yulia, the new 32-year-old manager, issued an ultimatum to all employees: "Anyone who shelters this dog will find themselves on the street along with it."
{{/usCountry}}Yulia, the new 32-year-old manager, issued an ultimatum to all employees: "Anyone who shelters this dog will find themselves on the street along with it."
{{/usCountry}}One employee named Mikhail Savitsky defied her orders when he saw Dodobonya lying in the snow.
Mikhail told the Russian news outlet 74RU that he had worked at Dodo Pizza since the fall of 2024. His job was to deliver orders, and he worked 5-6 days every week. He explained that the dog would come to the pizzeria at night and sleep on the porch, and employees would cover it with blankets in the freezing cold.
Recently, Mikhail saw the dog lying in the snow and covered it with a blanket. He lost his job over this act of kindness.
“I arrived [at work] and saw the dog lying in the snow,” Mikhail told 74RU. “I grabbed a blanket, covered the dog, went in, picked up the order, got in the car, drove off, and delivered the order.
“By the time I was driving back to the pizzeria, the manager had already informed me I was fired and kicked me out of the delivery person's meeting. I'd delivered one order that shift, and it took me 10 or 15 minutes.”
Pizza chain denies reason for firing
As the incident went viral on social media, support grew for the fired delivery person. Although Dodo Pizza claims that he was fired for other reasons, and not for helping the dog, Mikhail is convinced that Dodobonya is the reason he was dismissed.
As evidence, he showed screenshots of the message that the new manager, Yulia, sent to all employees where she said: “The next person to hide the dog will go after the dog. I've warned you one last time. If you want to help her, take her home!”
Dodo Pizza’s management, however, insists that Mikhail was fired over his performance, and not because of any stray dog.
“Even before the dog incident, we were planning to end our relationship with the courier. We don't believe that animal welfare is a reason to break up,” the pizza chain said in an official statement. “But we also won't publicly discuss details that affect a specific person.”
“The contract with the courier was terminated due to a combination of documented violations: regular lateness, absenteeism, and violations of business ethics,” Dodo Pizza said.