By Elizabeth Vinokourova, Guest Blogger
In 2009, we created a group to help homeless dogs in Moscow, Russia. Our region is continuously overcrowded with stray animals, and the local shelter simply could not provide the space needed for the abundance of animals, so a group of volunteers independently came together and began doing what we could for these helpless and defenseless animals. Fittingly, we named our group, “Let’s Help Together”.
All the volunteers in our team are what you would call ordinary people: teachers, sales people, office workers, housewives, etc., but we all share something very profound, our love for animals, which we believe has united us forever. The motto of our group is “Don’t stay indifferent!” We do everything with our own resources including buying medicine, treating the animals, supplying them with food and we raise funds to pay for “private shelters.” These “Private shelters” are in some cases simply individuals allocating a small area of their land and home to feed and house homeless animals. For these individuals, it’s a chance to earn a small living, for us it is a chance to provide animals with a temporary place to live.
Every day dozens of animals need our help, some are hit by cars, others abandoned in the streets or suffering from outrageous cruelty by humans. We have lots of stories to tell and thankfully, because of our dedicated team, many have a happy ending. But we can’t continue to help new animals in need without finding good homes for those already in our care.
Sadly, most potential adopters in Russian only want the perfect purebred animal. We feel differently of course, and believe that very life matters and every breed or mixed breed is equally deserving of food and safety.
We love what we do and we don’t do it for praise or popularity. For us, saving an animal’s life is the best reward one can achieve.
Please consider having a look at SPCA International’s Adoption Page to view the dogs that are desperately looking for their forever homes. Maybe you can open your heart and home to one in North America.
Please feel free to reach out to me directly for more information about the dogs featured on the adoption page or about Let’s Help Together at elizaveta_ru[email protected].
Elizabeth Vinokourova was born in Noginsk, Moscow region in 1983. An animal lover since childhood, she dedicates all her free time to her two adorable cats, Let’s Help Together and music.
