Visit to Hostomel Shelter

In October 2016, the AZOU team visited the Hostomel animal shelter, founded in 2000 by the President of the Association of Animal Protection Organizations of Ukraine, Asya Vilhelmivna Serpinska.

Asya Vilhelmivna mortgaged her apartment in Kyiv to purchase and convert an abandoned cow barn in the village of Hostomel into a shelter. She left her university position (with a PhD in mathematics) to dedicate herself to animals.

The shelter houses approximately 800 dogs and 200 cats. The territory is divided into zones: quarantine, medical facilities, and enclosures. Heating is provided by wood. Cats have a dedicated room with free access to enclosures. Dogs are fed porridge with meat, while puppies receive special twice-daily feeding. Daily vaccinations and parasite treatments are administered.

Only 6 people work at the shelter, including Asya Vilhelmivna herself and her family members.

The shelter cooperates with a German organization for dog adoption in Germany — approximately 20 dogs find new homes abroad each year.