Established in 2015 by Ms. Pham Khanh Quynh and her friends, Hanoi Pet Adoption (HPA) is one of the rescue stations that has received much attention from animal lovers.
Starting from feelings for the dogs and cats around them, from a small group taking care of dozens of friends, currently, the rescue station has 2 common house facilities in Hanoi city, which is the home of more than 500 abandoned dogs and cats, injured or rescued from slaughterhouses.
To maintain operation, each month the station has to pay many expenses such as rent, food, hospital fees, electricity and water, and personnel, with a total expenditure of up to 100 - 200 million VND. When the weather turns cold, costs increase sharply because the station has to install heaters and keep them on continuously to keep warm, causing electricity bills to increase 10 - 12 times compared to summer.
Financial pressure has not decreased, at the end of the year, close to Tet holiday, the station continues to face concerns when rescue requests increase.
The biggest difficulty during Tet is that they abandon dogs and cats a lot. But at this time, volunteers also have to return to their hometowns, travel, spend private time for their families, and then the veterinary clinic closes, so the number is increasing while there is an increasing shortage of people." - Ms. Quynh shared.
To avoid overload, the station often guides owners who are facing difficulties to find new owners for pets instead of immediately sending them to shared houses. In addition, the station will recruit additional holiday staff to ensure care work.
Having been attached for more than 4 years, Ms. Phan My Linh is one of the full-time volunteers at the station. In the early days, she encountered many difficulties when she did not have experience in caring for and had to balance personal activities. Being supported by her family and in contact with dogs and cats in pitiful circumstances, she gradually got used to the job, even during Tet holidays, she did not rest. “I take care of them like taking care of young children, considering them as family members,” she said.
Not only the caregivers, but also the adopters have become important "links". Ms. Pham Hong Hanh (Vinh Tuy ward, Hanoi) learned about HPA through social networks, then adopted a baby cat with thin physique, fungus and pneumonia. Fortunately, with dedicated care, Ms. Hanh cured the baby: "For me, buying a healthy, healthy baby is easy, but I want to take care of it so that the baby has a full house, and the station also reduces pressure.
To maintain operation, HPA mainly relies on online donations. The station also raises funds with some products at the end of the year, but because it is seasonal, it only compensates for a part of the cost for a certain period of time.
According to a HPA representative, what the station wants most is to spread love and respect for animals. When community awareness is raised, rescue stations will reduce pressure, and at the same time, abandoned individuals will also have more opportunities to be cared for and find suitable shelters.
