Surgut volunteer rescues homeless animals
A fluffy shelter dog during exercise time on the grounds of «Darim novuyu zhizn’».
Tatiana Oborina moved to Surgut six years ago, and in 2021 she opened the «Darim novuyu zhizn’» (Giving a New Life) shelter. Here is how her volunteer work has brought warmth and comfort to homeless animals.
As a child, Tatiana would call people from the phone book, offering them the four-legged friends she met on the street. After moving to Surgut, her dream of having a puppy came true in the new city.
«I thought about getting a dog for a long time and once stumbled on a post about a puppy who urgently needed a home. After endless deliberation I brought him home, and that was it — everything took off,» recalls Tatiana.
In Surgut she continues volunteering, photographing animals from the shelter where she took her puppy. Then life itself pushed her to open a shelter: she inherited elderly dogs. Now every year on 13 May the shelter celebrates its birthday.
Dogs at the shelter, which houses more than ninety animals under volunteer care.
But volunteering has its own challenges.
«There are plenty of difficulties. It’s obtaining land, building from scratch, and financial challenges, especially at the beginning,» the Yugra resident comments.
Over the years the shelter has taken in 91 dogs and 1 cat. Caring for them all alone is impossible, so four women volunteers help Tatiana.
«One cannot fight alone. Our lineup hasn’t changed since 2021 — four girls,» says the shelter’s owner.
At present the shelter’s main task is improving the facilities: building a new fence, kitchens and exercise areas, as well as adding fill to the grounds.
Earlier we wrote that the authorities want to introduce new laws for dog owners.
