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Shelter "Island of Hope", Kishinev, Moldova

Please read our story and updates. There is a lot more information in updates.

The history of our "Volunteer Center. Assistance for homeless animals" began in the autumn of 2013.
The situation with stray animals in Moldova is very harsh: the abandoned and domestic dogs are killed by cruel methods by order of the State.
People who are strongly against the killing of the dogs, were going to the Necropolis (territory where dogs are being killed) rescuing the poor animals and transporting them to our shelters, all run by volunteers, without any state support.
But the shelters had limited space, so quickly they were overcrowded and we could not rescue any more. Then a group of volunteers agreed to contract with an owner of some land in a village and received permission to bring dogs to the territory.
This is how the "Island of Hope" began. It was hard to start a shelter without any support. Only relying on ourselves, but the more people learned about us, the more they helped. They began to come to the shelter to help.
We conducted Volunteers days, community workdays, improved the territory, built a booth, carried animals, treated, socialized, adopted them....



Soon though, the owner decided that we are earning money on dogs and raised the rent to a very high price. As only Volunteers, we could not pay such a sum, but simply to release 240 dogs we could not do. It was decided then: to find a new territory.
We organized a local fundraising, but our country is so poor that many people do not have enough to eat. To collect the necessary amount for the construction and improvement of a new territory we organized charity concert in one of the theaters of the capital.

Gathering our forces, we, the team of girls began to construct new territory, which was rented. The people from young to old, came to us, all wanted to help to create a safe place for victims of human cruelty.



Happiness does exist and happened, we moved!

The New territory was in the valley, there was no light, no water: in the rainy days the shelter was flooded, so the dogs had to climbed onto the kennels and float on them ; in the warm seasons of the year, we had no place to store the meat, cereals and medicines - it was hard. However, thanks to the support of citizens, our Volunteer Center continued to live.


We assisted the animals, which were brought to us, we treated them, we returned to them faith in people.




We had many difficult moments, but we coped! Thanks to those who supported us, those who came and helped, brought food, medicine, helped financially - monetary assistance was for the costs of a Vet, the many costs of dealing with horrific injuries and neglect of these poor dogs and paying the rent.

We are engaged in productive adoption of our dogs, to free the space in the shelter for new ones, hundreds of animals on the street need our help.  We are so happy when our dogs find love in their new families. We try to keep in contact with all who adopted our favorite Islanders. The new owners send us photos of our formerly homeless dogs, in their new homes. 



And even with all the difficulties, we were happy there, in our shelter and found the strength to move forward in saving our lovely friends.
But our happiness didn't last long: the land near our shelter was given for the construction of residential buildings - the shelter became a nuisance. The Mayor of the local City Hall started to threaten us: they put an ultimatum to vacate the area or they will give an order to shoot our dogs. It's against the law, but our country is very corrupted on this level. We decided we had to find new territory; it was a very hard situation, we only just moved here, and did not have much strength to move forward, but the lives of our pets were dependent only on us.
Again searching for new territory and Finance for its improvement. We appealed to many companies, organizations, but everywhere we heard refusal. And when we're desperate to find a new territory for rent, we found help from a German shelter for homeless dogs: we have paid a temporary rent for a small part of their territory.
Construction and moving to new territory have been done fast, but it was very difficult to find assistants who would be able to come and help us, because the territory was very far from the city.


We have built cages and moved the dogs. All the rest: the repair of the room allocated to us under the clinic and quarantine, kitchen and service yard improvement - we did with the help of caring people, after we moved here. Once again, we continue our work to save the homeless animals and to find a good family.





But then....
In May of last year, we were warned that the contract for the rent expires in December 2017 (Update, September 22, 2017 - deal was worked out with landlord and rental contract was extended till May of 2019)  and it will not be extended - we have to vacate the area. And again on the horizon, no prospects: rent again? - No, it is not reliable, because at any time, we can be told to leave, under any convenient pretext, and moving with our dogs and to have to rebuild each time, every two years is very hard.
We, the two women volunteers - we feel heaviness. Our population of Moldova looks at an animal as a thing:  without proper care, suffering cruelty and abuse; those who help the volunteers - very small percent. Our country is very poor, and the Government of Moldova supports another plan to resolve the problem of homeless animals - persecution and murder, no public shelter or assistance to volunteers in the programs of humane treatment.
We need our own land, so that we can work in peace: to provide assistance to homeless animals, to carry out sterilization and keep our animals until they will find their family. 
An area where we will be able to place 20 enclosures, a building for medical bloc, including clinic and quarantine room, service yard, consisting of a kitchen, where every day is cooked porridge for our pets and a room for the employee.
We are already in despair, our strength leaves us, but when we remember how many difficulties we have already passed, we believe, that it was not in vain, that our goal is real. We have a great desire to help the poor, abandoned animals of Moldova. 
Can you help us to do this please.
Our first project is to raise at least 45,000$ to buy the land and build the kennels.

The Forgotten ones of Moldova are crying out for help.
Shelter pages
https://www.facebook.com/IslandOfHopeMoldova/
https://www.facebook.com/OstrovokNadejdy.MD/

Articles and TV reports about "Island of Hope" and our campaing to raise money for new shelter.

https://www.facebook.com/UTRONACTC/videos/1334831319945309/?pnref=story
http://locals.md/2017/otkryit-sbor-sredstv-dlya-priyuta-dlya-bezdomnyih-zhivotnyih/
https://ru.sputnik.md/society/20170507/12539434/jivotnie-kishinev-priiut.html

Donations 

  • Cristina .
    • $20
    • 5 yrs

Organizer

Yan Desyatnik
Organizer
Elkridge, MD

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