DELIVERED!
A huge thank you to The Guinness Dunn Foundation, Inc and everyone who donated to help deliver much-needed food and supplies to our partners in Ukraine. Here are some scenes from the unpacking party!
New Rescue Partner in Ukraine
We have exciting news to share: Sochi Dogs has a new partner in Ukraine that is doing amazing work!
The Dnipro Shelter is a non-profit animal rescue currently carrying for dogs, cats, and a small herd of goats that was founded in 2012. Built entirely by volunteers from scrap materials the shelter has mosaic floors made from leftover tile and colorfully painted fences. It's a true labor of love that brings hope and joy even in the most difficult times.
A small staff works around the clock in long shifts to provide medical support and feed the nearly 270 shelter residents twice a day. The shelter runs a hotline people can call when they find an animal in need. New animals arrive almost daily, many of them rescued by the Ukrainian military and need to be treated for war-related injuries. Most recently the shelter welcomed Dina, a 3-year-old dachshund-terrier mix. A soldier rescued her from the battlefield during shelling. Her back leg was injured and needed to be amputated. Dina is now looking for a quiet, loving home far from the war zone.
Sochi Dogs will be working with Dnipro to cover medical expenses for injured dogs and find homes for some of the residents in the US and the EU. The shelter also has a team of volunteers who work incredibly hard to hold adoption events in the center of Dnipro allowing the city’s residents to interact with the animals and help them find homes in Ukraine.
The staff and volunteers at Dnipro are true heroes working under the most difficult conditions. Sochi Dogs is honored to support this work and the rescue efforts. If you would like to help, please consider making a donation, 100% of what you give will go to the Dnipro Shelter.
Pushik's Adventures in Russia, Latvia, and the US!
After starting life on the streets of Sochi, Russia, Pushik is coming to the US and looking for his forever home!
In May 2021, two-month-old Pushik was found near a bus stop in Sochi. He looked lost and very scared. We think he was born to a family pet who had not been spayed, and then he was abandoned on the streets.
Sochi Dogs took Pushik to their shelter, where he bonded with Platon, the young son of the shelter's director. Pushik loved playing with other dogs at the shelter, but he was still timid. Growing up in the shelter's rural, isolated setting made him especially shy around people.
In May 2023, Sochi Dogs transferred Pushik to a foster home in Riga, Latvia, so he could experience life with a family in a city. He has been going to training classes and is getting more comfortable with street sounds. Now, he can walk on a leash in the city, and he loves joining his foster family on outings. He especially enjoys going to coffee shops, where he can practice the many commands he has learned.
Next month, Pushik is traveling to the US, where he'll be looking for his forever home. He is a sweet, very gentle dog who is good with dogs, cats, kids and even goats. He has excellent house manners: he is completely house-trained, is not destructive, and does not guard anything. He's still a bit shy around new people, and he will need some time to adjust to his new home.
Pushik will be ready for adoption in the US. If you're looking for a sweet, loving companion who's always ready for a coffee break, consider adopting Pushik!
Check here for more photos and information.
Urgent Action Needed
Every year there are around 5,000 cases of rabies in the US, and in the past 8 years there have only been 4 cases of rabies from imported dogs. The CDC put out a new ruling that will make it virtually impossible for individuals or responsible non-profits to help dogs overseas on account of preventing the spread of rabies.
Please join Sochi Dogs and our international rescue partners to speak out and oppose these new rules!
Click the link comment before Sept 8: https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/CDC-2023-0051-0001
SAMPLE LETTER:
Dear Ashley C. Altenburger, J.D.,
I’m an animal lover and am writing today to oppose the proposed ruling, “Control of Communicable Disease; Foreign Quarantine: Importation of Dogs and Cats.”
I support the CDC’s intention to protect the United States against additional rabies cases, however, I do not agree that hardening the rules on dog importation is the way to achieve this goal. According to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, there are approximately 5,000 confirmed cases of rabies in animals in the United States and the vast majority are found in wildlife. Why harden the rules on dog importation, especially for responsible non-profits and individuals?
Non-profit organizations in the United States and individuals go to extraordinary lengths to rescue dogs from wars and climate disasters around the world. We should not close our doors to this work but instead, continue to make it safe and feasible for it to continue. In 2020 dogs accounted for just 1% (36) of all rabies cases in the US. In the past eight years, there have only been 4 cases of rabies from imported dogs.
The new proposed laws are unclear and an overstep. They burden nonprofit rescue organizations and private individuals with extreme costs and requirements that are nearly impossible to achieve for those working in war-torn countries like Ukraine.
I strongly ask the agency to reconsider these proposed measures and refocus their efforts on rabies prevention to wildlife and livestock where regulations are truly needed to stop the disease in the United States.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]
