Since their opening in 2018, the Vinnytsia First Municipal Shelter for Animals (MSFA) has been catching, rescuing, neutering, curing, releasing and attempting to adopt many dogs, whose turnaround in the shelter is quite high. Every dog comes to the shelter with its own story and history and leaves it with various prospects for the future. However, in some cases, the experience of a dog before coming to the shelter is dramatic, with dubious prospects for the future.

Zhulia is one of such dogs who was rescued by the shelter staff after an injury or trauma and who are unable to survive without responsible human care. She was rescued from the streets after a call from a citizen of Vinnytsia. Zhulia could not move her rear paws and suffered from sores over her body where she couldn't move. Unfortunately, this meant that it would be very difficult for Zhulia to be adopted, she needed more than basic care and the shelter could not provide the required rehabilitation conditions for her.

It was clear that Zhulia needed a responsible human home, where she could receive care and required medical help.

Luckily, our dedicated team in Ukraine have contacts with a small but effective network of volunteers, who are ready to help. After a week of searching for a volunteer, the team was able to find a caring woman, who has a dog with temporal spinal injury. The lady, Helen, decided to help the dog and took her from the shelter for foster rehabilitation in November 2019. 

After a detailed vet check and a week of care in a warm and responsible home, Zhulia started to walk on her all four paws. Now, time will heal her bedsores for the time she wasn't able to move. However, sadly for Zhulia her broken pelvis will be a challenge for the quality of life. She has to wear a dog 'diaper' in order to stay clean, and can only survive in a home and not on the streets. She will stay in rehabilitation with Helen until a loving home is found for her permanently.

After 4 months of rehabilitation, she made amazing improvements in her walking. The Ukrainian team were able to find the place where she had lived before she was found and returned her. Here, there was a dog house and a dog friend, Moisha, waiting for her. The people who had looked after her could not believe that their beloved Zhulia has come back safe and can walk. They are very thankful for our efforts to save and return Zhulia to her normal life.