To begin with, helping homeless cats and dogs is an integral aspect of being a volunteer. Being the one, who is ready to help pet shelters and contribute to animal welfare even in the hardest times.
The full-scale Russian invasion forced many animals to lose plenty of things, especially their homes. Day after day the quantity of stray animals actively increases. It means that all of us should help stray dogs and cats without a single shadow of a doubt.
The U-Hearts Foundation is a non-charity animal rescue organization that provides support to Ukrainian shelters and volunteers. Helping homeless cats and dogs is its key purpose.
The U-Hearts team is also in favor of listening to the stories of caring people who also devote themselves to supporting stray animals in these hardships. Today we would like to present 3 of these inspiring narratives to you.
Read Tetiana`s story and help pet shelters
Tetiana Dmytruk, a founder of the ‘Kind Heart’ shelter. Here is her comment:
“I’ve been helping our furry friends for about 9 years. This activity started when I saw a post on social media about abandoned puppies, and I began taking them in for temporary care. Eventually, I extended my assistance to adult dogs.”
“Currently, I manage a shelter with 195 little tails under my care. I strive to give them all the love they deserve. We have three dogs with spinal issues and many elderly ones. For example, Eva, whom I miraculously rescued when she got tangled in the bushes and couldn’t move. That’s when I noticed she had problems with her hind legs. Thanks to sensitive veterinarians, Eva was examined promptly, given the critical situation, and that’s how she became a part of our family.”
“I can’t ignore pets in need because, to me, they’re like helpless children”, Tetiana shares.
Read … story and help stray dogs and cats
… is a retired nurse, and her life has always been connected with caring for others, including helping homeless cats. … is a faithful cat lover, so that’s an interesting fact about her!
“It all started with a few neighborhood cats in our building. I couldn’t resist helping them out – feeding, caring, and finding them homes. Finding families for them was challenging, and keeping them in my apartment was inconvenient. But with more cats joining in, I had to think of a plan. So, I created a mini-shelter outside the city”, – says … .
“I’m currently taking care of 60 cats, each with their unique personalities and stories.”
“These animals are my family. I know each one of them, as they all have different personalities, fates, and stories.”
A tortoiseshell kitten was found abandoned in severe frost.
Ginger cat Zhoryk, also abandoned by people, was once weak and lethargic. Look at him now – what a handsome fellow!
And this beauty in the box whose name is Knopa, was found by … at a bus stop one day after returning from work. She was so weakened that veterinarians barely saved her.
“Thanks to the care of Greater Good Charities, Save Pets of Ukraine initiative and the U-Hearts Foundation, all my furry friends are now well-fed and happy!”, – says … .
Read Masha`s and Amina’s story, and help homeless pets
“My name is Masha, and my volunteering journey began almost 11 years ago. I took care of a pack of 22 dogs when I lived near Mykolaiv city. My daughter Amina is also a volunteer; she is 10 years old and has been volunteering for 10 years and 9 months. During pregnancy, and even up to childbirth, I was still helping animals and Amina had a great desire to join my initiative 🙂
Turning to the last story, the background of its exploration is rather exciting. When looking through the photos in the report, the U-Hearts team found a picture from Greater Good of a girl sitting next to dogs and food and decided to learn the story of the young volunteer. Details were shared with us by her mother, Masha Kabanets.
“About 10 years ago, I became an active member of the animal protection organization “Phoenix.” I was a curator for many animals and dealt with raising funds for their treatment and care. At that time, I didn’t have my own place because I worked as an X-ray lab assistant in an emergency hospital with a modest salary. However, four years ago, I finally got the opportunity to buy a country house on the outskirts of the city, where my daughter and I currently live”, – Maria shares.
“Immediately, a mother dog with seven puppies joined us. They were just starting to learn to eat independently. Among the animals I fostered are Black Sir Tobias, Yellow, and Grey. Their mother, Tigra, happily resides in the Czech Republic.”
“By the way, in the past four years, eight dogs from our country houseyard found their homes in the Czech Republic, one of them rescued from a flood in Kherson”, – Masha says.
Recently, a dog named Santa with a puppy girl joined their wonderful family. Currently, Masha and Amina have 9 cats and 8 dogs, and they also take care of 10 stray country cats.
These are the stories of caring people who help homeless pets day after day. The following narratives confirm that it doesn’t matter what age you are. The main point is to understand that it is widely important to help stray dogs and cats. They are also living creatures with souls, feelings, and expectations.
Help homeless pets, please, don’t be aloof!