Nominal category "Responsible for those": nine-year-old Valera Zhukov has been rescuing our animal friends since early childhood. He spends his savings on medical care and food for abandoned animals and those in distress.
A very heartwarming story of a wounded bird being rescued by an incredibly bright boy from the village of Kholm-Zhirkovsky near Smolensk took place at the very end of summer. One August day, third-grader Valera and his younger brother Kostya spotted a helpless crow with an injured wing near a store. "One of the crow's wings was fine, but the other was hanging down, and she couldn't lift it. I realized it was broken and the bird urgently needed help," Valera shared.
The boys' parents helped catch the injured bird. Back home, they bandaged her up and temporarily placed her in a brooder—a special cage for chicks. Valera kept checking on his feathered friend until morning, giving the rescued bird water and food. The crow especially loved cheese.
But the injured bird urgently needed veterinary care. Without a second thought, the compassionate boy took all his savings from his piggy bank—820 rubles—and gave them to his mother for the crow's treatment. Elena and her husband took the wounded bird to a vet clinic. A digital X-ray was the first step. The procedure revealed that the black-winged flyer had two severe gunshot wounds. One bullet had shattered the poor bird's wing, while another was lodged in her body. To prevent lead poisoning, the bird required surgery. Unfortunately, one wing had to be amputated. Local residents helped fully cover the cost of the X-ray and surgery by raising the remaining balance.
"The kind doctor, Valeria, was very accommodating since we had traveled from afar, and she operated on the crow after her shift ended. Our family is not wealthy; we have our own pets and help other animals too. I reached out to our community for help by posting in a local group. The villagers responded to my request and helped raise the money," the boy's mother shared.
The severely injured bird, named Karlusha, will undergo further treatment and rehabilitation under the careful supervision of volunteers from the Smolensk charity fund "AistYasha"—the region's only rescue center for storks and other wild birds, as reported by Newsroom24 news agency. The one-winged crow will permanently live at this shelter along with other feathered residents who, due to severe injuries, will never be able to fly free again.
"Looking at children like him, you realize that they grow up to be truly decent, empathetic people. Valera, thank you so much! Your help is priceless to us, and your action sets an example for many adults," the foundation's founders noted.
The Zhukov family visited their rescued pet and took a tour of the bird sanctuary. Valera brought a young cedar tree as a gift, which he and his mother had grown together from a cedar cone seed.
The case of the shot crow is far from the only heartwarming story. The nine-year-old boy has been rescuing strays and animals in distress since he was very young. Valera has cared for abandoned kittens, a stray cat recovering from surgery, puppies found in a cemetery, a tiny grass snake, a sparrow with a sprained paw, and other pets that found a second chance at life in his kind, gentle hands. Currently, he is nursing another rescue—a newborn kitten accidentally found in the grass. He also makes sure to look after his own pets: a German Shepherd named Jessie and Russian Toy Terriers Nana and Dustin.
According to Elena, her eldest son has been compassionate since birth. Valera is kind, empathetic, and loves every single living thing on the planet. Moreover, school comes easily to him—he is a straight-A student.
"Our family loves animals. All of them. It's hard because, unfortunately, you can't save them all, and we are on a tight budget. Valera is very kind; he will share everything he has. In the past, he would just give away anything if asked, or even if he wasn't asked. He can tear up over poignant songs, poems, and stories about the war, children, and animals, deeply emphasizing with the characters and taking their stories straight to heart," the schoolboy's mother shared.
The boy just can't seem to save up enough money for a desired scooter or anything else he might need for himself. All his savings usually go toward medical care and food for animals, as well as helping those in need. Yet, Valera does not doubt his choice for even a second.
"I don't regret spending anything on the crow or other animals. I want animals and nature to survive in the future. People kill birds and beasts, and they abuse animals. They only think of themselves and don't care about the future. I want all animals to be healthy, not to freeze outside in the winter, and to have a home," explained the nine-year-old animal rescuer—a little guardian angel for our animal friends.
Photo from Elena Zhukova's personal archive.