Even if you’ve never had to pick up a wounded magpie, to kick out the fox that got lost on the skirts of the city from the highway or to pull out the dog that fell into the hatch, nevertheless write and save the phone number of the information animal rescue hotline: 0-800-302-303. Perhaps, one day it might be useful to you or your acquaintances to help out the living being in distress.
The animal rescue hotline opened in public organization Feldman Ecopark Good Home. It is worthy of note that it is All-Ukrainian. Henceforth, to get the qualified advice for rescue of any animal threatened by loss or unnatural conditions, it is possible to call from any region of Ukraine by unified phone number: 0-800-302-303. The service works daily from 9:00 to 21:00.
From every corner of the country …
Iryna Podvoiska, the head of the charitable project “Feldman Ecopark Good Home” shared the concept of invention of animal rescue hotline with the correspondent of “Vremia”:
— Many calls from different regions of Ukraine are received by our organization. People ask for advice how to treat the wild animal found in the city limits how to treat the injured animal or a bird, etc. Our experts, of course, consult everyone though quite often it turns out that people could obtain the same information in their native city but they simply didn’t know about existence of the local animal protection organizations and called that number first available or is more widely known. … When we receive calls from Kiev and people ask where it is possible to sterilize the animal at preferential prices, we find in our database the coordinates of the Kiev animal protection activists and veterinary clinics which render such services.
In a word, communication problems in the animal assist sphere exist practically in all cities. Therefore there was a wish to centralize all the information existing in this sphere and to provide it to people addressing us.
— To what extent is the network of the animal protection organizations widespread in Ukraine today?
— The problem of animal protection finally became quite “loud”. Many people began to care more for dumb animals: to think out ways how to facilitate their life, how to help caretakers rescuing animals at their own expenses.
The animal protection network in our country is quite wide and multifarious now, though slightly dispersed. In one cities social activists cooperate mainly with each other, in others they managed to establish dialogue with municipal services that truly rescue animals, not kill them.
There are organizations that merely take care of wild animals: bears, foxes, boars, different birds etc. But the majority specialize in cats and dogs. They make arrangements with local authorities (if it is possible), with veterinary clinics about granting health-care benefits, place adverts in newspapers and social networks trying to find home for “unwanted” animals.
— The appeared hotline is more information or rescue service?
— It combines both of these functions though yet we describe it more as information because it is impossible for a single organization to rescue, cure and shelter animals of the whole country.
Due to cooperation with the Feldman Ecopark we can accept wild and exotic animals. The specialists are presented not everywhere and not all volunteers have opportunities for keeping of such animals. And the Ecopark’s doors are always open for them. We are ready to leave for wild or exotic animals across Kharkiv and region and even out of its limits if local volunteers can’t transport the animal to us.
As for cats and dogs, unfortunately, we can’t accept all of them because we have no animal shelter. In general, the problem with cats and dogs is very acute now. In different cities try to solve it in different ways. The animal rights activists call the most humane CSVR method, the abbreviation that means “capture, sterilization, vaccination, and return to natural habitat”. It is the only correct approach with such huge number of stray animals. We can help the person who addressed to the hotline with addresses of veterinary hospitals which conduct vaccination and sterilization at preferential prices, to assist in transportation of an animal, in fundraising for its treatment.
Besides, we consult people in general issues concerning animal care and treatment. If specialized consultation is necessary (for example, the orthopedist, the surgeon etc.), we can give the coordinates of the corresponding doctors and clinics. We also consult in zoo psychology and animal behavior issues. If necessary, we refer to dog handlers. In other words, we try to work with category of pets remotely.
Silver foxes and other rescued captives
— Have you already managed to help some of wild animals?
— In Feldman Ecopark live silver foxes which were brought here from the future fur farm. The Kiev volunteers traced history of its creation for a long period of time and finally, having raised money, redeemed 16 animals among which, except silver foxes, there were several polar foxes. First, the social activists held animals at their place. But when the animal management has become burdensome for them, they addressed in the Feldman Ecopark. The staff of our service moved to Kiev and took away 5 foxes. Previously Kiev volunteers vaccinated animals against rabies as required by the rules of animal importation from outside the borders of the region. We processed documents and brought foxes to Kharkiv. You can`t take your eyes off these beauties. All visitors admire their magnificent fur coats and are convinced that alive they look better than dead collars on human clothes.
A separate point must be made about such barbarity as feed stations where people train the hunting dogs on wild animals. Most often for training use raccoon dogs. There are a lot of such rescuees in the Ecopark. Part of them are animals that had been saved from such feed stations. For example, we brought a raccoon dog from Donetsk region. It was also redeemed from the feed station by volunteers. The animal was very contact and kind and it didn’t suit for training of dogs: instead of running away from hunting dogs, on the contrary, it was friendly interested in them. Actually, therefore the former owners also sold it. Now everyone admires and loves it. It’s hard to realize how many of his congeners continue to perish from human cruelty …
— It is fashionable today to keep at home wild or exotic animals which can easily perish under our conditions if are lost or will escape from masters. Whether you’ve been addressed with such animals?
— There were cases when domestic polecats ran away from their owners. People found them and brought to our rescue service. And if their owners were found, we with pleasure returned the animals.
— Have you ever helped animals out of dangerous situations?
— There was an accident in summer when “boxmen” engaged in pet resale threw out 40 unclaimed kittens in Oleksiivka district. And by the time the volunteers came to save them, part of these kittens climbed high the tree. We had to take them off with the assistance of our rescuers-climbers.
— Have there been any cases when you saved animals from mockeries of their owners?
— Me as an animal protection worker for real faced such situations. Though no complaints were received by our service. I’ll tell you, an appropriate legal basis must be set in place to save animals from the cruelty of their owners. So far in our country they are deprived of civil rights.
Great endeavors have been undertaken in this sphere. Some deputies suggest to amend toughening punishments for torturing animals both to the existing Law for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and to the corresponding articles of Criminal Code and Administrative Code. It is hoped that this work will yield results.
— So if I see a stray dog with the broken paw, I can call the hotline to assist in rescue process. And if I know that my neighbor beats the dog, should I go to the police?
— Certainly. In such cases it is necessary to call the police and to report that the animal abuse takes place. But, unfortunately, law enforcement authorities don’t pay due attention to such messages yet, at times do not even draw up a protocol on violation. Alas, we cannot struggle even with “boxmen”!
Organizing the animal rescue hotline, we certainly studied the European experience. There is a wish to trust that Ukraine will gradually come to respect for the rights of animals. There is an animal police abroad responsible for monitoring of the relationship between human and animal. The animal police officers, for instance, have the right to come and to inspect the detention conditions of animals. And, of course, this service reacts to messages from citizens concerning cases of animal cruelty.
