A cruel couple adopted a 'lovable' dog from an animal shelter - then bludgeoned it to death and cooked it for dinner.

The 'respectable' couple convinced staff at the shelter they had 'fallen in love' with stray mongrel Nika and took him home to live with them on Sakhalin, an island off Russia's east coast.

The 'friendly and affectionate' dog had run up to them as soon as they came in to look for a stray to adopt.

Nika, a stray mongrel, was described as 'friendly and affectionate' by staff at the animal shelter

He was adopted by the couple from a dog and cat shelter run by Irina Savitskaya (pictured)

Nika's new owner admitted bludgeoning him to death with this iron bar and then frying him

The couple convinced staff they had 'fallen in love' with Nika (pictured) before adopting him

But his horrific fate came to light when shelter staff called in at the new owners' home to check on him.

Volunteer Ekaterina Valyus said she could smell cooked meat the moment she arrived at their home.

Ms Valyus said: 'When I arrived I smelled fried meat.'

Then she saw hair and remains of the dog in the porch.

'The rest was on their stove,' she said.

Nika's new owner, named only as Galina (pictured), admitted killing and eating the dog

Nika's horrific fate was discovered by volunteer Ekaterina Valyus (right) when she visited the couple. Animal shelter director Irina Savitskaya (left) says cruel couple have 'no shame'

The couple, a woman named only as Galina and her unidentified husband, had appeared to be dog lovers when they had agreed to adopt the stray.

Ms Valyus said Galina initially denied that the dog had been butchered, but she later admitted it to police.

Nika had been bludgeoned to death with an iron rod, local media reported.

Dog shelter director Irina Savitskaya is demanding a prison sentence over the shocking incident.

She said Nika had been rescued from the streets by her volunteers and described Galina as having 'no shame'.

When Galina and her husband came to the shelter, Nika had run up to them and they seemed to fall in love with the dog.

Ms Savitskaya said: 'She gave me her passport details, made a contract, took the dog, and ate her new pet that very evening.'

She added: 'She has admitted that she had butchered the dog and ate it.

'She just says, "no-one will put me in jail over a dog".'