The trip to Russia was very productive, although short just 2 weeks. I was taking my 2 orange tabbies with me to relocate them to my parents’ house due to my husband’s allergies.
My cats, as was planned, went into the cabin with me and my mother. For that, we had to do physical examination (+microchips) at their vet within 10 days of the flight and submit Health Certificate APHIS 7001 to local USDA office to be notarized. The paperwork was filled out perfectly by our vet at Gaithersburg Veterinary Clinic (huge THANK YOU to them!!!) and I had no problems at our local Richmond, VA USDA office.
At the airport, at the counter I have presented the form APHIS 7001 and paid additional fee for my kitties. We went through the check point without any problems because when officers noticed cats they had smiles on their faces:)
At the gate and during a long 6-hour stop in Moscow, I had my cats in a playpen which was very very handy!!
During the flights, one of the cats was more vocal than the other but petting her helped right away.
When we arrived to my parents’ the cats felt like home. They relaxed after some time and started drinking water and eating.
The playpen and most of the toys my cats don’t use anymore were donate to BAGIRA rescue organization together with the monetary donation from me.
I was very happy to see my babies in my parents’ home. They like it there and my parents treat them like children 🙂
I hope that nobody will face the hard decision on separating with their pets but if you do (and it does happen), I hope you can find the best home for them and avoid shelters.
In the first 18 days of December 2015 BAGIRA group of volunteers took into their homes 31 animals to foster, a few puppy litters and adult dogs are being cared for by the group (food is provided by BAGIRA).
Volunteers foster the animals in their homes (usually small flats) and the financial support is provided by people like you.
Unfortunately, this month’s adoption events were not very successful. The past 2 events none of the animals found their homes.
Look at the volunteers and animals standing outside for hours during adoption events:
Adoption events are organized by the volunteers who foster homeless animals. All animals are previously dewormed and vetted.
This work cannot be done without your help!
Please make a small donation to BAGIRA group. Anything will go a long way.
BAGIRA is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
I am going to Russia for 2 weeks and will be going to visit the BAGIRA group in person. This trip was planned for me to visit my family there and bring my 2 orange tabbies to my mom’s. I know, it sounds ‘very crazy lady’- like but:
My husband was diagnosed with severe cat allergies this April, and since then my 2 little babies had to relocate to my friend’s house who kindly agreed to foster them, then go to adoption events every weekend. My two cats are very special to me. You can find out about them on their Instagram page.
The right adoptive family was not found and to say the truth, I would not imagine parting with them forever. To make the story short, I am taking my kittens on a plane with me (in the cabin, hopefully, as it was agreed by the airline) and will be traveling for almost 20 hours: flight then layover for 6 hours then another flight and then 2-hour drive to my parents house!
I will provide updates about my cats and BAGIRA group. Wish us luck!
Today 2 volunteers form BAGIRA group went to visit a stray injured mama dog with her puppies.
The place where the dog is located is outside the city with no access to food. The girls brought a pot of freshly cooked food which was gone in a few minutes after the mama dog started eating it.
The puppies are still nursing and are weak. After the dog ate the volunteers were able to put some warm blankets into the place where the dog sleeps.
As you can see, it is a very tight space just beneath the ground level. Currently nobody can foster this family, despite all the post online and pleas nobody could take the dog family in. So the volunteers are doing what they can to make them survive by bringing them food and blankets.
When the mama dog was fed and saw that these people did not mean harm she allowed to have her wound treated.
As you can see the volunteers go far and beyond to save animals even when it means to ask for donations, cook 5 kilogram of food and drive a few kilometers away from the city to feed the dog family.
Please donate towards this group, anything will go a long way.
BAGIRA is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
The SV group had to change its name to BAGIRA Sterlitamak. The decision was made due to constant pressure from the public of the city who assumed that if the group is called “Volunteers” they would have to take in and save all the animals in the city.
The group is still all volunteer based. The logo was changed to accommodate the name change:
Please donate towards this group, anything will go a long way.
BAGIRA is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
A few days ago SV group received online post about little snow white kitten with blue eyes living on the street. The worried Samaritan wanted to make sure the kitten was safe before temperatures outside dropped (and they did, now it is snowing, yes, in October!)
One of the Volunteers went to the meet with the lady who caught this kitten and her orange tabby brother. Both were taken into their foster home followed by a vet check up. As usual they had flee infestation, bloated bellies and ear infection.
The same day foster mom started noticing that snow white kitten was making circles as if her head was dizzy and she was spinning in one spot instead of walking (video).
The vet prescribed treatment which will be 4 shots a day for 40 days! Snow white (let’s call her that name) is crying and not liking the treatment. She had stomach issues after the first set of shots and did not eat anything, but 2 days later she is doing mush better and her movement has improved. She is not spinning that much and walks almost normally. See the video.
These kittens are two of many the Volunteers is caring for.
Please donate towards this group, anything will go a long way.
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
The founder of SV group was driving outside the city when she thought that she saw something in the grass on the side of the road.
Then she asked her husband who was driving to pull over and go back.
She was right and it was a little black and white kitten. There were no houses nearby, only the roads. The kitten was left there to die.
After the initial check up we found out that the kitten has ringworm that is now being treated. The kitten is being kept separately from other animals due to ringworm.
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
__________________________________________________________________________The balance of $11.20 is budgeted for spaying surgery of a mom cat found recently, but the procedure was delayed because all fosters are filled with animals and there is no spot for the after the surgery recovery (10 days).
As a result of July 2015, SV group has a balance of zero and 29 animals in their foster care.
The Volunteers are people with big hearts and endless energy. They accept any help they can get: old clothes, food for the animals, transportation for their injured and usually critical animals and just kind words of encouragement.
This work goes unnoticed by many citizens on Sterlitamak and many think that the Volunteers must take in every single homeless animal in town. At adoption events organized a few times a week by the Volunteers, they get swarmed by people who bring boxes of newborn kittens and puppies! These people get aggressive if the Volunteers refuse to take the animals. And these Volunteers are usually teenagers who spend their free time helping to fix the mistakes of negligent and irresponsible adults.
These kittens were found in a box by a busy roadThe Volunteers at the Adoption EventBox with the kittens found by a busy road
SV group wants to proceed with TNR campaign (Trap-Neuter-Return) but unfortunately they do not have the money or the place to keep the cats and dogs after the surgery for 10 days before the stitches should come out and the animals can be released.
Please make a small donation towards saving lives of animals. Any amount will go a long way.
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
On July 23 Sterlitamak Volunteers were informed about a litter of 3 kittens and their cat mom living in the basement of a dentist clinic. The clinic has requested to seal all entrances into the basement and if the kittens and their mom were not rescued, they could be trapped inside the basement and die.
3 Volunteers went to rescue the cat family that day. Upon arrival they witnessed 3 happy kittens playing in the sun right outside the basement.
The rescue operation has begun:
To catch themFor protectionBasement2 out of 3 kittens
The kittens and their cat mom were not happy to be chased after and bothered. 3 hour later the Volunteers got 2 kittens out of 3. Their mother cat escaped from the basement.
2 rescues are ready for a bath
The kittens were infested with fleas. The water they were bathed in turned red. They received flea medicine and medicated bath.
Just a small part of fleasBoys are very stressed and hissy
Their first night at the foster home was stressful. But they are getting all the medications, food and care they need.
The third kitten managed to escape. The kitten was caught the next day and it was a whole new adventure.
The 3rd kitten with cat mom
The kitten was outside running in the sun next to a shallow pipe that led into the basement. The Volunteers tried to cover one end of the pipe to trap the kitten and get it ou. But it was easier said than done:
Running away from his rescuers
This rescue operation finally ended when they got the kitten inside the basement the next day. It turned out to be a girl and she was not happy, like her brothers, to be bathed and treated for fleas and worms.
These kittens are now being cared for at the homes of the Volunteers. After they are socialized and adapted to the human interaction all 3 kittens will be put up for adoption.
This rescue operation is one of many that SV group does every day. Please help us by donating a small amount, that will go a long way in Russia. Only for the month of July the SV group took into their homes over 60 animals, provided food and medical attention. The group does not have a designated shelter space or the means to rent out a place for animals and all Volunteers take the sick, abandoned, abused and homeless animals into their homes. After the animals are healthy and ready for adoption the Volunteers organize adoption events.
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
SV group received a call from their vet who informed them about puppies living next to a river trash pile. The river there is deep and moves fast. The puppies were crying and hiding in nettle bushes.
The river bank where puppies were hiding is too steep and slippery, and thick nettle bushes made it hard to see the puppies.
A few hours later and some logistics one of the Volunteers Svetlana Pankova was able to catch 3 puppies:
The puppies are from different litters and of different age but they all were infested with fleas:
The water turned red when bathing the puppies.
3 puppies now, bathed, fed and parasite free:
The tan puppy was adopted a few days after the rescue thanks to the social media post!
Thanks to rescue efforts and love for animals by Sterlitamak Volunteers 3 more lives were saved!
SV group received a call at 8am about a cat recently found by the Volunteers. The young male cat was found a few months ago in terrible condition – emaciated with matted dirty coat, infested with fleas. The cat stayed at the foster home where he was treated for fleas, gained weight and became a gorgeous cat with white and grey long hair coat.
Before:
After:
He was named Kesha by his foster parents and he knew his name. As all foster animals, Kesha received a lot of love and support by the SV group and the foster. The Volunteers made a post on social media website about him and …it worked!
The person calling about Kesha turned out to be his owner. He said that Kesha (Gosha as they named him) was lost exactly around the area where he was found but 2 years ago! When fosters met with the potential owners they were questioned about the age of the cat because he seemed too young to be lost 2 years ago. The owner said that when Gosha was very little one of his claws on the hind leg had to be removed because it got infected. The foster parents were surprised to find out that Kesha (Gosha) did not have the claw!
The foster parents were happy that Gosha found their original owners and went home with entire family.
We are very excited about this reunion and hope that we can see more of such happy endings!
This morning Lisa, one of the volunteers of SV group, found a box with a month old kitten inside. The writing on the box says: “Take it, needs good hands”:
Volunteer who found the kitten
Nobody knows who abandoned this kitten. It was raining all day and the poor little thing got soaking wet and cold. The volunteer took her home and made a post looking for a foster care or a home.
A few hours later the kitten was chilling on a couch in her new home after a meal and playtime.
This is one of the happy tails that we love to see all the time. Thanks to good hearted people like the volunteer Lisa one more life was saved today. BIG thank you to all Volunteers and people who rescue animals!
Please be kind to all animals!
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
Sterlitamak Volunteers group has found homes for 8 previously homeless animals. 8 puppies and 2 kittens went to their forever homes on Sunday, March 15, 2015.
All animals have sad stories and we hope now they will have only happy endings.
Sterlitamak Volunteers are mostly students who devoted their free time to save animalsKitten with an adopterThis dog was found as a stray and has been fostered while Volunteers were looking for previous owners. Unfortunately, they were not found and the dog was adopted. (with a Volunteer)Kitten with an adoptergoing to her forever homegoing to his forever homegoing to his forever homePotential adopters are here to see the animals
For 3 months of this year 2015 the group has already saved over 80 homeless animals. The work of the Volunteers is priceless and they have the biggest hearts! Either it is a litter of new born puppies whose mother was killed or a cat that was hit by a car and paralyzed – the Volunteers are there to help! Most of the Volunteers are middle and high school students who do not have cars (yes, it is a privilege) and who live miles away from each other but that does not stop them from picking up stray or injured animals all over the town and driving them (in public transportation sometimes) to the vet clinics or foster homes. They are doing it all year long in any weather.
Sterlitamak Volunteers solely depends on the donations from the public and people do help with whatever they can: food, toys, medications, old clothes, free rides, donations and words of encouragement.
Thank you all who help animals in need!
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
For her young age (only 4 months old) Lapa has been through a lot. She was born homeless in a litter of 5 puppies, then the puppies were supposed to be fostered by someone but those people betrayed the puppies and let them starve and eventually the “foster parents” drove the puppies out to the woods to leave them there without shelter and food to die. (You can see the story in earlier posts).
When SV group learned about the puppies it was too late and sadly all but one died.
After numerous visits to the vet clinic and iv fluids and other medications, Lapa is doing well and has gained enough weight. She was spayed recently as well. The surgery went well and now Lapa is ready for her forever home.
She is still shy and skittish but with a lot of love her personality will come out soon.
SV group is looking for her forever home now and we cannot wait for her to have a family that will be able to give her enough attention and love that she deserves.
SV group is hoping that Lapa will get her happy tail soon.
Please consider a small donation towards Lapa’s needs. A small amount will go a long way.
Thank you!
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
Kolya, a cat with embedded string, is now in his forever home!
Kolya was found with deep wounds caused by embedded string all around his body.
You can see before pictures in earlier posts.
Here is Kolya now:
He lives with another cat at home and they seem to get along pretty well.
Help SV group make more happy tails come true! Please make a small donation which will go a long way.
Thank you!
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries for homeless animals.
They have opened their eyes and became more active. 2 are fostered by a young Volunteer and other 6 are in a foster home.
These two are brother and sister. The female puppy is very active and likes to explore her foster home and also chase her brother.
They had indigestion in the beginning but after some needed medical care they are well on their way to blossom into active puppies. When they are ready enough to be adopted SV group will be looking for their forever homes.
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
The Volunteers is caring for a few litters of puppies at any given time and today we found another litter of newborn puppies right next to a dumpster. They were tossed like a trash to die. All black puppies, 8 altogether, but only 6 survived for far. When the Volunteers arrived to the spot 2 puppies were already dead.
This is how the puppies were found, in a blanket by the dumpster in below zero temperatures.One of the dead puppies was found like this.Newborn puppies from the dumpster at their foster home
Puppies are fed and asleep in their foster home
The puppies are being bottle fed by our volunteers, one of them is a skilled foster mom who nursed back to life a few litters already; she is just 12-years old!
I cannot comprehend the thought process of people who are able to discard a living helpless being like that! But I am happy to see that good hearted people are everywhere and we can help the helpless and speak for the ones who are not able to speak for themselves!
We will be posting more updates about the puppies. We all hope that they will grow strong and find their loving parents.
If you would like to help these puppies please donated via the link below with the note “for puppies”. All proceeds are going to provide food and medical attention to the animals in need.
Thank you!
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
SV group received a call about over 20 puppies living in the outskirts of the town (Sterlitamak, Russia). When Volunteers came to assess the situation they were shocked to see approximately 20 PUPPIES of all ages and sizes living in the woods with almost no shelter! We do not know the exact number of puppies because they some of them hide when they hear human voices. Two women who found the puppies first had been feeding the puppies daily but when they could not keep up, these ladies called SV group for help.
Coming out of their shelter Feeding time
SV group has found homes for 6 puppies so far. Two smallest puppies out of this bunch have been taken to their foster home today, because they are very weak and would not survive in such cold temperatures.
Two sister twins
Now in foster home:
Puppy #1Puppy #2
The rest of the puppies are in need of foster homes right now and daily food supplies. They have makeshift shelter and the Volunteers brought warm blankets and rags to make their puppy cave warmer. All blankets and warm clothes as well as food is donated by the citizens of Sterlitamak.
Donation of warm blankets and clothes for the puppiesPuppy den covered with snowInsulating the den with warm clothes and blankets
SV group is trying everything possible to save animal lives and while they might be expendable to others, for Sterlitamak Volunteers and many other good hearted people these lives are priceless and we will do everything to save them!
We will be posting more updates about the puppies. The SV group is in need of food, pee pads, warm used blankets and clothes for the puppies.
If you would like to help these puppies please donated via the link below with the note “for puppies”. All proceeds are going to provide food, pee pads and medical attention for the animals in need.
Thank you!
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
SV group rescued this poor cat with a string embedded into his body (see earlier posts). We do not know what happened to him. After treatment and a lot of love this boy is ready for his forever home.
Kolya (SV group gave him this name) is doing well. He is probably 1 year old and a very large cat. His wounds are healing nicely and he is just full of love to give. We hope to find very good parents for him.
Please help us rescue more animals in need. It is not very hard to do. By donating just a few dollars you can save a life. Any amount will go a long way in Russia. For example: cost of a spay/neuter surgery for cats is just $6-8, cost of spay surgery for dogs is $25.
SV group is receiving no help from the government and all Volunteers who save animals, foster injured and homeless animals in their own homes. Most of the Volunteers of the group are teenagers who work on volunteer basis without pay after school and during school breaks. They are doing amazing work and it shows! Only for the fist month of 2015 SV group has rescued over 40 homeless injured animals and provided food for 3 litters of homeless puppies!
The food, medications, and cost of vet services are covered by donations.
Please be a part of a good deed and donate.
Thank you!
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries for homeless animals.
Sadly Button has passed away on Friday (January 23, 2015)…
On January 21st she started throwing up blood and her stool contained blood. She would not eat or drink.
Button had suffered abuse. She was found on a cold night outside crying for help. Her jaw was broken. SV group took her and fixed her jaws. As we all thought she was almost healthy for her forever home, but a few days ago she stared feeling sick and fading. Button had internal injuries, her liver raptured.
Her foster mom and the leader of Sterlitamak Volunteers is very sad and appalled by the cruelty people cause to animals. She hand fed Button during her recovery and was working on her fear of man. We all were so happy to see Button getting better…
RIP Button…
Button
Please read her rescue story in our earlier posts.
Animal abuse in Russia is unfortunately a common practice and there are almost no laws protecting them. The Russian government actually spends money on hiring firms with firearm licenses to kill homeless animals and it is a fact. Also a self-proclaimed society called “Dog hunters” formed by morons is killing homeless animals (cats and dogs) and pets daily.
Animal activists in Russia are fighting for animal rights and we hope the government will respond to multiple petitions and letters to the president.
Lapa is the one out of five homeless puppy who survived from the cruelty and stupidity of certain humans (see our previous posts).
Now Lapa is in good hands and gaining weight slowly.
On arrival – first IVOne day into the treatment. All her siblings died at that point.
Here is Lapa now.
Lapa is struggling psychologically. She is a very shy scared timid puppy. She has a fear of closed doors and cannot sleep in a room without the light. She is being cared for in her foster home by Angelina (foster mom). We hope she will be healed soon physically and emotionally.
Please help us raise money to cover the cost of food for Lapa. Please help us help more animals in need.
Any amount will go a long way!
Please donate! Thank you!
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
The young cat was found this week with string imbedded deep into the skin around the neck and under the front legs.
After removing the the string, the vet decided not to stitch the wounds and let them heal on their own with application of antibacterial ointments and regular shots of antibiotics.
He was someone’s pet before as his foster mom says. He is very thick and clean. Except for the unfortunate wounds on his body, overall he is a healthy young male cat who has already been potty trained.
We hope he gets well soon and will start looking for his forever home.
Please help us save more homeless animals in need. Any amount will go a long way.
Please donate.
Thank you!
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
Button was found by a good Samaritan before New Years Eve. The kitten was visibly in distress. She had a broken jaw and was outside crying for help.
Button’s jaw has been fixed, stitches have been removed. SV group has raised money for her surgery and treatment. The surgery was almost free (thanks to the vet clinic) and the rest of the raised funds went towards her food and medications.
Button is a curious lovely 3-colored kitten. She follows her foster mom everywhere and can be heard purring from a mile away. One thing that she is struggling with is her fear of man (males only). Whenever she hears male’s voice Button starts meowing unstoppably and she also tucks in her head whenever her foster mom is trying to caress her head. She has been doing a good progress and let the foster dad pet her when Button was almost asleep.
Button is a very beautiful lovely cat with bright green eyes.Purring and not opening her eyes.
SV group has already started looking for a forever home for Button. We hope she gets all healed up soon and get into a loving forever home.
Please help us turn more homeless animals like Button into healthy happy pets!
A small donation will go a long way in Russia. Please donate!
Thank you!
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
Today SV group found a stray cat in horrible condition.
The cat is in a lot of pain and has open wounds caused by string tightened arounds its body. The string is imbedded into the cat’s skin making it a gruesome scene. The odor coming from the wounds is unbearable which means the cat has been in this condition for a few days.
Please be advised that the images are graphic.
Deep wound in the armpit area. The sting is cutting into the flesh.
The cat is in pain whenever you touch the string. The vet visit is schedule for tomorrow morning to remove the string and stitch the wounds.
The cat seems to be clean and well fed, the cat has good weight and good coat.
SV group started a fundraise for this cat. Any amount will go a long way. More post will follow.
SV group received urgent plea for help about 3 survived puppies (there were 5 initially) on December 24th. According to a good samaritan, the puppies were fostered by a family who could no longer take care of them and they got rid of them by abandoning puppies in the woods further away from the town without food, water and shelter in below zero temperatures.
As you can see the puppies were very malnourished and could barely stand on their own. We do not know whether the “foster parents” (if they can be even called that) were feeding the puppies.
On December 24, 2014 the puppies were brought to one of the Volunteers homes. All 3 puppies were shaking and lethargic, could not stand on their feet. IV fluids were given right away.
This puppy passed awayThis puppy passed awaySurvived
Half an hour after the puppies arrived 2 puppies passed away. The only survived puppy was in a critical condition. After failed attempts to ask social media followers to help with transportation to take the puppy to the vet clinic, the Volunteer who fostered the puppy took the crate with the dying puppy on a bus and brought her to the vet.
The volunteer carying the puppy to the clinic.At the vet
The puppy turned out to be a girl. She was given necessary IV fluids and medications. The treatment continued at foster home.
Meanwhile the tiny bodies of 2 puppies who previously passed away had to be buried (the vet clinics do not provide cremation services). In order to properly burry the puppies SV group wrote a post on social media website asking for any volunteers to take them to the animal cremation center (located a few miles away from the town) or dig a grave for them. Nobody responded. The organizer of SV group and some of the Volunteers drove to the cremation center on New Year Eve. The weather was very brutal that day.
The box with dead puppies was left in front of the animal cremation center (the facility was closed that day)
The survived puppy is doing better now. She is a very smart and polite dog. She can walk around her crate and now goes outside to potty. When her foster mom at school, she is very quiet and uses a pee pad. She also started eating on her own and gained some weight. She learned how to give a paw and she was named Lapa (which means “paw” in Russian).
Lapa and her foster mommy Angelina
Lapa is a shy puppy but we know that when she is all well and healthy we will find great parents for her and she will blossom into a playful and happy puppy as she should be.
This is a very sad story with a happy ending for 1 puppy out of 5! We wished we had saved them all but the help came too late.
Please make it your resolution for 2015 to help animals in need. If you see or hear about animal abuse, please report, stop the abuse and help the animal in need. WE ARE THEIR VOICES AND WE CAN SAVE THEM!
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
The kitten is doing great! The Volunteers named her “Button” (or Pugovka – in Russian) because of her make-shift wiring. The swelling on the jaws has subsided and now she can eat on her own. Also the rotten odor that was coming from her jaws is gone.
Meet Button
Button is receiving shots of antibiotics daily and all her stitches are being disinfected after feeding.
The only problem Button faces is the emotional: when she hears male’s voice, she starts crying very loudly. We suspect that whoever physically abused her was a male. The good news is that Button is in good hands and we hope that she will soon recover physically as well as emotionally.
Button is a very polite lovely cat, she uses her litter box, eats well on her own and snoozes all day long. After her complete recovery the Volunteers will be looking for her forever home.
Please help us make a difference in lives of many animals like Button. Please donate. Any amount will go a long way in Russia.
Sterlitamak Volunteers is an organization that exists and works directly off of the donations received from general public. All Volunteers and organizers of this group are working as unpaid volunteers and all proceeds go to cover the cost of medications, transportation, food and surgeries.
Sterlitamak Volunteers group has been working hard this past year and produces some great results:
882 animals found their forever homes, you can see pictures of all adopted animals here.
179 animals were spayed and neutered, please see pictures here.
For 1.5 years of the existence of SV group the volunteers had organized 240 adoption events, see pictures of all adoption events here.
Sterlitamak Volunteers is a group of regular people – volunteers from Sterlitamak, Russia. They joined their efforts to help street animals to bring them back to help and then find their forever homes.
All the help that this group receives is coming from regular people from donations (of money, food, medication, foster care, transportation and so on). The leaders of the Volunteers are Tamara Mazitova, Svetlana Pankova, Nadezhda Bezrukova and Yuliya Dobrogorskaya. Most of the Volunteers are school kids who rescue, feed, foster animals in their free time from school.
All adoption events are held all year around outdoors in any type of weather. All adoptable animals were previously homeless and most of them had health issues. At the time of adoption all animals are healthy. The adoptions are free of charge with future assistance in spaying and neutering. Prior to adoption events most of the animals are being fostered by the volunteers. Some fosters have over 15 animals at a time in different health conditions.
The countless efforts of Volunteers are paying off when they see the pictures of their adopted animals in their forever homes. Unfortunately, we cannot help all of them, sometimes the help comes too late. If you would like to help us, please make a donation via our paypal account. All donations are going to the animals of SV group.
The kitten with a broken jaw had a surgery this morning (December 29, 2014) and it went fine. The night before the surgery the kitten ate on her own but when it tried to lick its whiskers after the dinner the kitten cried with pain.
Kitten with a broken jaw eating on her own. A day before surgery.
In the morning the vet performed a surgery. The jaw was broken and had to be put into its place. The check up also showed that the kitten has head injury. Also both front paws missing 2 claws on each side, looks like they were torn out while the kitten was fighting for her life. The paws are infected and now the kitten is on antibiotics.
After the surgery, December 29, 2014
After the surgery the kitten woke up and tried to take off protective collar. The kitten is being fed via syringe with puréed food. The stitches should be removed in 2 weeks.
We hope that everything goes well and our little feisty kitten will get better soon! We also want to thank the vet who only charged us 300 rubles or $5.50 for the surgery!
The kitten is in need of good food like Royal Canine Recovery and medications to boost her health.
If you would like to help, please donate. Any amount will go a long way in Russia!
If you do not have a paypal account, please follow “Donate” link and below you can find a link to donate with a credit card.
As we prepare for the New Year of 2015 we would like to thank everyone who likes and follows our blog and share a few happy stories.
Happy Tail:
On a cold night a woman was passing by a dumpster when she heard meowing sounds. She looked into the dumpster and found a plastic bag with 2 tiny kittens. They were very little.
These kittens were taken by SV volunteers to foster. They were not even a month old and had to be fed from a syringe. Due to the unhappy start of their lives on the street the kittens got sick with different infections (fungal infection, diarrhea, herpes virus). After a long recovery and tedious work of the foster parents, the kittens became better.
The volunteers tried to find forever homes for both kittens but they were always passed on.
Two kittens found in a dumpster. This picture was taken a month later when they were healthy and ready for their forever homes
The foster family decided to adopt the pair after a few failed attempts to find a home for the kittens. Now they are healthy and happy. A boy and a girl grew into two big gorgeous cats!
Just look at them:
SV group is happy for them and want to thank you all for sharing their story!
This morning (December 28, 2014) a good samaritan found this little kitten on the way to work outside, the temperature in Sterlitamak (Russia) is 11F or -12C. The lady went to the store and bought dry cat food but as soon as she tried to feed the kitten, she could see the horrible condition of this animal.
The kitten had a broken jaw apparently because the jaws are not aligned and the mouth is not closing, also there is blood on its face.
This kitten was found on December 28, 2014Kitten with a broken jaw and signs of abuse was found on the streets of Sterlitamak, Russia. Outside temperatures: 11F or -12C
SV group took the kitten to their foster care later today. Right now the kitten is in a warm crate being fed soft cat food. The vet is scheduled to make a house call tomorrow morning to assess and diagnose the kitten’s condition.
At foster home. The kitten cannot fully close the mouth and cannot eat because of the broken jaw.
We all hope that the kitten gets healthy and vet’s prognosis for its recovery will be promising.
SV group started a fundraiser to help offset the vet expenses.
If you would like to help, please donate. Any amount will go a long way in Russia!
If you do not have a paypal account, please follow “Donate” link and below you can find a link to donate with a credit card.
On October 17, 2014 Valeriya was on her way back from college when she noticed a cat sitting next to a supermarket’s entrance with a head down. There are a lot of homeless and stray animals roaming the streets of Russia, so this is not a surprising occurrence to see a cat or a dog or a puppy next to a house or a supermarket scavenging for food and warmth. But this cat was different than others. After the first glance at the feline, Valeriya thought that the cat was covered in snow but when she looked closer – the cat had burnt whiskers and her fur was burnt as well. Also the poor feline was very emaciated.
Valeriya could not just leave this poor thing there and she called her mother and told her with tears what hapened. Valeriya’s mother told her to take the cat to the vet and bring home after, and this is exactly what she did.
The vet confirmed that cat was previously torched and suffered some burns on her skin. After receiving a few injections the poor cat was released. By the way this emergency care the vet provided for free.
Valeriya took the cat home where she continued taking care of the feline and decided to adopt her even though there was already a cat in the house.
This is a great story of a humane treatment of an animal! Thanks to Valeriya, her mother and the vet one more life was saved!
First hours in the house
Burnt whiskers and the coat. She slept very quietly in the house and started purring right away falling asleep on Valeriya’s lap.
Burnt skin
Now the cat is fully recovered and is about to be spayed by the SV group.
This is how she looks now
She still have some wounds on her ears and skin but doesn’t have any emotional wounds in her heart even after some human set her on fire.
People be kind and protect those who cannot protect and speak for themselves!
Sterlitamak Volunteers are working hard to help reduce the population of homeless animals and find them good owners.
This week we scheduled spay and neuter surgeries for 3 dogs and 7 cats. The surgeries take place at the house of the SV leader and foster mom – Tamara. Although it is a very simple makeshift clinic that might not follow all medical standards but it is the best possible option to have all foster animals together at the same place during after working hours.
The vet who was performing the surgeries is a well known in town and she worked for 5 hours straight. In the meantime the Volunteers who foster animals had conversations over some sweets and tea.
It it is small group of Volunteers with big hearts who do great things for well being of animals and society.
The small number of volunteers talk over some tea while the vet is performing surgeries
10 homeless animals were sterilized today:
All these cats and dogs will be looking for their forever homes after the stitches are taken out in 10 days. After being spaying and neutered they will have more chances of getting a home.
We need to schedule more surgeries for more cats, some of them are already pregnant and need urgent spaying.
Each surgery is about $14. The SV group receives no help from the government at all. Each ruble and dollar is raised by Volunteers.
Please help us raise funds for the much needed spay and neuter surgeries and give homeless animals hope of finding a forever home.
Each dollar counts! Please help today tomorrow might be too late.
This happened today at one of the construction sites in Sterlitamak, Russia:
2 female kittens were found in a closed plastic bag. When the Volunteers saw the condition the kittens were in, it really broke everyone’s heart! As the results of a vet examination showed both kittens were beaten, one has lost the eye, both have one broken leg and they both have hernias.
We are raising funds for urgent surgeries to remove hernias, fix 2 legs and provide medication and food for the recovery process.
Please help! Any amount will go a long way!
Cases of animal abuse are happening every day in Russia. And government is doing nothing, often contributing to the animal cruelty by approving laws that allow shooting homeless animals!
We are fighting every day to save as many as we can. We are regular people like you – with jobs, families and problems. Sterlitamak Volunteers operates as a Volunteer organization without any shelter or help from the government, strictly on donations received from people.
The puppy is doing well after the surgery! The surgery was complicated and lasted for 3 hours but the puppy’s pelvis has been fixed.
The puppy was able to defecate right before the surgery which decreased the risks during surgery.
Most of the money for the surgery was raised by SV Volunteers. The total price for the surgery was $200. Now the puppy needs food and medicine to help recover.
Please donate with the note “for the puppy”. Any amount will go a long way.
We received the news about the puppy’s condition and it is not really good. The pelvis is broken and one of the broken bones is obstructing the big intestine preventing the puppy from defecating. The puppy is suffering and whimpering because she has not popped for a week now.
The vet proposed to have enema done and a surgery to fix the bone after which the puppy will have a 50/50 chance of survival, but we will have to try! Otherwise, the puppy will die within a few weeks.
Right now the Volunteers are trying to give puppy an enema to help relieve the pain.
We have started the fundraiser for the surgery, food and medication for the puppy (it is a girl as we found out), she will also need to be spayed during the surgery.
Before the accidentAt the x-ray clinic
Please help this young puppy live! The surgery needs to be urgent. Every dollar will count and will go a long way!
This week Sterlitamak Volunteers received a message from a lady who noticed a stray puppy crying on the side of the road. The puppy was in the area since September and an ad was created to find him a new home.
She took him into a shed by her house and emailed SV group asking for help. Th puppy was whimpering and could not get up on his legs.
The rural area where the accident happened is 20 minute ride from Sterlitamak, Russia. In spite of the late night, there volunteers to help this poor dog and people drove to the place and took him to temporary shelter, where it is warm (right now the temperature in that area is 14F or -10C at night!!!) and there is food and water provided.
Next day the puppy was taken to get x-rays done and now we are waiting for the vet to come over and assess his condition. The vet clinic does not have x-ray equipment and the vet clinic closes early, so the vet makes house calls for 200 rubles or $4.50.
The puppy is eating and drinking water, can urinate but not able to defecate – he whimpers when he wants to go. The x-ray technician said that there is something wrong with his pelvis and the right thigh. We are waiting on the news from the vet’s visit and will be posting the verdict later.
For now we wanted to start a fundraiser for this puppy to help him get better.
Before the accident
Bill for the x-ray 500 rubles or $12At the x-ray clinic
I will be making more posts about the puppy to inform about his progress. As you can see even $5 can help tremendously, so please donate to help this puppy. This is one of many homeless and stray dogs wondering the streets of Russia and we can help, maybe not all but we can start by saving one at a time!
October 4th is World Animal Day and Volunteers in Sterlitamak, Russia held their 224th Adoption Event which lasted for five and a half hours.
As a result 10 (8 kittens and 2 puppies) previously homeless and abandoned animals found their homes.
The adoption events are held outside all year around, and today it was very cold, but that did not stop the Volunteers from taking their foster animals and going to the event!
To celebrate the World Animal Day the Volunteers had painted posters to spread awareness about compassion for all animals, especially the homeless.
Pictures from the Event:
Please, do not forget about animals not only today but every day; do something for them because it can be a difference between life and death for them!
This post is to provide a glimpse into work of the Sterlitamak Volunteers. The volunteers are mothers, fathers, teenagers, students, elementary, middle and high school kids with their parents who support what they do ever single day – saving animal lives.
Despite homework, school, work, chores, and other problems of day-to-day life, the Volunteers devote their time and big hearts to homeless animals. As I have mentioned in my previous posts, in addition to taking animals from the streets and nursing them back to health, the Volunteers organize Adoption Events. These events take place outside of a Mobile Phone store near a local market. The management of the store allowed the Volunteers to occupy a small space by the porch. They do not have any tent or seats, just the crates with fostered animals which they transport themselves from different parts of town and the country. Adoption Events usually run from 10 am to 6 pm. The Volunteers are on their feet for over 6 hours at a time without any shelter!
Adoption Events are hosted 3-4 times a week all year long! In Russia winter weather sets in around mid October and lasts until mid April. Summer weather lasts for just over 2 months. From June to September 1st school kids are on summer break. Some of them enjoy the hot wether but others, like our Volunteers, take care of homeless animals and organizing Adoption Events.
Please see a few pictures of Sterlitamak Volunteers at the Adoption Events:
Yes, it is very cold in the winter and Volunteers keep animals warm by wrapping them into warm blankets or tucking them inside their jackets.
The summer season is almost over now and many Volunteers will go back to school on September 1st. Unlike their school mates, Volunteers did not have time to rest this summer.
For example, just this week 2 Volunteers brought a former stray dog to be spayed. They already found a home for the dog in the country side, an hour away from the vet clinic. The cost of transportation for the animals was paid by these girls. The dog weighs over 40 lb! These 2 Volunteers had a foster cat also who needed stitches removed after a surgery.
As a result only this year Sterlitamak Volunteers found homes for 575 animals, please see pictures here.
As of today, 144 homeless animals were spayed and neutered, please see pictures here.
Everything from transportation charges/gas to vet bills, medications and food for animals is either fund raised by Volunteers or comes out of their pockets! The Volunteers who are in high school don’t do it for Community Work credits, we simply do not have this type of requirement in our school system.
This shows a strong devotion to the cause of saving animal lives!
Please support Sterlitamak Volunteers by donating a small amount which will go a long way! Please share!
A group of its citizens decided to join their efforts and volunteer to save, sterilize, cure, find homes for hundreds of stray animals roaming streets of the city.
One of such Volunteers is a woman named Florida. She is currently fostering 13 kittens and 12 grown cats.
All of these kittens were taken from the street, some of them were born homeless. For example, only this week one of the volunteers found a box with 6 black three-week old kittens abandoned near a school yard. They were taken to Florida’s foster and she is bottle feeding them.
Mostly, all found animals are sick with parasites, viral deceases, sometimes they are wounded severely. All of them have different stories and hopefully all will have a happy ending. At least this is what we all work for.
Medication, food, visits to vet and everything else is provided by the group’s funds. These funds are donations received from people.
When animals are healthy and of age, Volunteers take them to adoption events to find them a new home. Also, SV group raises money for spaying and neutering.
Sterlitamak Volunteers do not have a designated shelter, so they try to find foster homes and forever homes right away. Unfortunately, not many people are open to foster sick animals, so Volunteers have their apartments filled with 10 or more animals at a time!
Please look at the pictures of Florida’s foster care:
One of the 6 kittens found in a box
The Volunteers are regular people like you. Please join us and contribute to saving animals!
Please help us to save lives and donate at least $5. It will go a long way!
A few months ago someone witnessed how a puppy was run over by a car on purpose! The puppy had open wound on her hind leg.
A compassionate person who saw the puppy crying contacted the APAC shelter asking to take the puppy in. She was a stray and nobody knew anything about her, so she was called Vita (means “life” in Latin).
A few hours later Vita was in surgery for amputation of the injured leg, vets could not save the leg and decided on the amputation.
Vita after the surgery
Vita now is a gown puppy and she learnt how to walk and run on her 3 legs. She is a happy, easy going girl, in need of her forever home.
Look at her:
Vita loves people and everything around her! She is full of life and has not given up on people and finding a new home.
Please share her story to help her find a new home!
They were standing under the sun for almost 6 hours with their foster animals they had taken from the streets. Most of these cats and dogs were sick and injured or simply abandoned or born from a stray animal. At the time of the adoption, all animals are healthy and provided with a clean bill of health from their vet.
Today 13 animals found their homes: 10 puppies and 3 kittens.
Her story is the usual one – her previous owner did not want her any longer and she ended up on the street. She was found on the side of a street in May dying (there is a post about her earlier). She could not move and stayed outside for a few days before a rescue group could find a foster care for her.
She was probably hit by a car, she had bone fracture and could not walk. Daisy got better thanks to her foster and treatment. Look at the difference a kittle love does!
Before:
After:
Daisy likes to talk, does not bark or squeal, just talks, you have to hear it! She is very obedient, she would never walk in front or pull you, Daisy waits until you let her go for a walk with you.
Russia is controlling homeless animal population by spreading poisonous chemicals and hiring firms with firearms to shoot all cats and dogs on the streets.
Yes, this is a sad truth! Many citizens of all ages become witnesses of these horrifying tactics. Also some Russian citizens take it upon themselves to kill animals, especially young children who learn from their adults – also become very cruel towards animals.
There are so many similar cases with happy, but more often with very dramatic endings for animals all over Russia. The Russian government is not doing anything to better the situation of homeless animals. The government decided to simply launch a murdering campaign of animals on the streets and, hence, making it “legal” to rid of homeless animals this way!!!
In this picture below is one of the homeless dogs that was poisoned recently in Sterlitamak. On the video, you can see another dog who also consumed the same poison (it happened in the same location) and dying the same way as the one in the picture. The black dog in the picture also died that day.
Poisoned
Homeless animals are not the only ones suffering – people who take their pooches for a walk also find their dogs and cats foaming at their mouths, trembling from convolutions and suffocation, and then dying within 30 minutes after they accidentally have consumed a poison from the ground on the streets. And this is happening every single day!
A group of animal right activists and volunteers started a petition addressed to the major of the city Sterlitamak asking to stop the killings and create alternative humane methods to control the population of homeless animals.
We hope that you can join us and sign this petition.
This petition is for people to see what is happening in Russia.
Gulnaz Rahmatullina is the creator of this Petition and one of the animal rights activists of Pravo na Zhizn (“Right to Live”, Sterlitamak, Russia).
Here is the translation of the Petition:
To: Izotov Aleksey Nikolaevich, the mayor of Sterlitamak, Russia
Stop inhumane methods of animal population control in Sterlitamak, Russia.
This is a plea to seize inhumane methods of animal population control in Sterlitamak. Mass murder of homeless animals is taking place in our city. The methods of homeless animal population control are cruel and inhumane. Not only are dogs shot to death but also poisoned by chemicals easily available to the population at any drug store. Cats are killed in the same inhumane manner.
These chemicals (poison) cause tremendous suffering to the animals: choking, seizures, foaming at the mouth and agony for 30 minutes!
You can see it in the video posted on www.vk.com by animals protection activists and animals lovers of Sterlitamak: (WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT)
The poison is spread in public places such as schools, where children see these animals dying in agony right in front of them causing these children psychological trauma!
We, the mothers and children, are against animal cruelty! We, the citizens of Sterlitamak, think that controlling population of homeless animals using cruelty is inhumane and economically ineffective. By killing animals the population of homeless animals is not decreasing, it actually increases filling out the void created in nature (according to the specialists-veterinarians). Moreover, there is nothing humane and moral using these methods.
In our opinion, different methods to control the population of homeless animals must be implemented. These methods are to:
1. Launch overall spay-and-neuter programs for animals; 2. Open foster care and shelters for homeless animals; 3. Create and implement social and educational campaigns for the people, especially children in schools, about ethical treatment of nature and animals via humanitarian ads, banners, flyers, television, newspapers and other types of media. The purpose of such campaigns will be to inform people about how important it is to sterilize their animals and will teach people that they are responsible for their pets.
These methods have already been used in many cities in Russia, throughout entire Europe, in some Latin American Countries and even in some African countries. We are hopeful that our plea to Izotov Aleksey Nikolaevich, the mayor of Sterlitamak will be heard and our Golden City, as they call it, will start using humane methods to control the population of homeless animals.
Pravo na Zhizn (“Right to Live”, Sterlitamak, Russia), the animal activists group has organized many demonstrations in their city to protest the “legal” cruelty against animals, but, unfortunately, their manpower is scarce because fear of people with power prevails.
We have already reached almost a half of 5000 needed signatures. We need your help! Please spread this petition and sign it! Leave a comment of support for the animal rights activists in Russia!
On July 19, someone abandoned a box with 4 kittens in it at the doors of a vet clinic in Sterlitamak, Russia. To avoid euthanasia, one of Volunteers, Svetlana Pankova, immediately went to the clinic and took the box.
There were 4 kittens, 3 black and 1 grey. They were very young and had barely opened their eyes. All of them were completely healthy. They were taken to an adoption event the same day when they were almost killed; one of the kittens (grey) was adopted. The smallest one of 4 was taken to a foster care to be nursed by a surrogate cat.
Svetlana Pankova took the other 2, to bottle feed them until they are grown enough to eat on their own.
The box with kittensThis lucky one found her new owners at the adoption eventFeeding time2 kittens at foster care
July 24: Kittens eat well and are looked after by Svetlana Pankova:
Their temporary home and the bottle
Received donation of pee pads for the kittens
The kittens are growing healthy and will be up for adoption soon. They need more pee pads and special food mix for their feeding time from the bottle.
Beta was found abandoned in the woods, tied to a tree by her previous owners (as we found out later). She is 8 years old. Beta was in a very bad shape. You can read her story here.
Beta went through a treatment and a surgery. She is back in normal weight and health. Beta is up for adoption and looking for her new parents!
Here is Beta when she was found:
Beta now:
Beta has been through betrayal and hard treatment. She is a lovely girl who like everyone and everything. She loves kids, animals and anyone who gives her love and kisses.
It is a truly wonderful story of recovery. Beta is at the APAC shelter in Tolyatti Russia and waiting for her new parents.
We have an update about Daisy. She is well now and waiting for her forever home.
Her story is the usual one – her previous owner did not want her any longer and she ended up on the street. She was found on the side of a street in May dying (there is a post about her earlier). She could not move and stayed outside for a few days before a rescue group could find a foster care for her.
She was probably hit by a car, she had bone fracture and could not walk. Daisy got better thanks to her foster and treatment. Look at the difference a kittle love does!
Before:
After:
Isn’t Daisy full of happiness and love?! She is 2 years old, doing well with other animals, good on walks, with kids and strangers. She just wants to be loved! Daisy likes to talk, does not bark or squeal, just talks, you have to hear it! She is very obedient, she would never walk in front or pull you, Daisy waits until you let her go for a walk with you.
Daisy is looking for her forever home!
Human beings will never seize to shock with their inhumanity! Why is it okey to toss 10 newborn puppies like a trash?
Early in the morning a woman saw a man with a box approaching the dumpster right before the trash pick up truck arrived. She went to look and saw 10 newborn puppies, one of them was injured because that man was picking the puppies up with tongs and throwing them into the dumpster.
ACAP shelter is looking for volunteers to nurse the puppies.
!!!!!!GRAPHIC CONTENT!!!!!!
Wounded puppy
A fundraiser has been launched to save the puppies.
This puppy passed away
Rescue Homeless Animals (RHA) 