Especially for this, Natalia and Alexander Ivanov moved to the Volkhovsky district from St. Petersburg, bought a house and devoted their lives to helping animals, PRO-TV tells.
The couple founded a real shelter in their yard "Good House of Bussido".
- We have 26 dogs now. We find animals and bring them to us from different cities and regions," says Natalia Ivanova, founder of the Good House of Bussido shelter. - We mostly have dogs who have suffered from human cruelty or who have fallen into some difficult conditions, who have been injured. Old animals that have served their service and become unnecessary to their owners.
Vanya is one of the wards of the shelter — a three-year-old dog, who has been living in the shelter since May. He was found with a bullet wound on the riverbank in Kirovsk. The dog's paw was shattered. Two expensive surgeries, plates in the injured limb and long-term rehabilitation are behind us. He's on the mend now. Very soon, even if he limps, he will be able to run on all fours.
Each dog has its own character, but all have one thing in common — they need care and attention. Most of the animals are elderly, with serious illnesses or injuries. They were abandoned to their fate by their owners, with whom they lived almost all their lives.
- We feed our pets twice a day. But again, some dogs need an individual feeding schedule. This may be due to problems with the gastrointestinal tract, with the kidneys. There are special dietary feeds for them," Natalia Ivanova continues. — And rehabilitation includes various physical exercises according to a special program developed by a veterinarian.
So far, the founders of the shelter have to rely on their own strength, the help of a few volunteers and friends. Dog handlers and veterinarians respond to requests. All dogs are vaccinated, sterilized and have vet passports.
Another project, which Natalia is currently developing, is designed to draw attention to the problem of stray dogs and increase the culture of animal treatment. It was called "Social Ecology".
But the Ivanov family does not stop there. Natalia conducts lessons in local schools, teaching children to take care of shaggy friends. Recently, we established a connection with the Donetsk shelter so that the "Good House of Bussido" would become a new home for wounded dogs from Donetsk and the special military operation zone.