History of Society’s Creation

Written by Тамара Тарнавська

“A good man is a shame even to the dog”, this expression by Anton Chekhov has not lost its relevance even in our days.
Who among us has not stopped at the sight of street dogs, victims of human betrayal, lying on the bare ground near the entrance to the subway, standing near the shops, looking at us with silent reproach?
Who among us at this moment didn’t feel irrepressible desire to forget about own business and immediately help the animal, feed and heat and take home...

However, to make that step, manifestation of mercy is not enough,  you should have the power of self-sacrifice, because it is much simpler to pay off by a piece of sausage from unnecessary animals problems.
Fortunately, political and economic problems haven’t killed in most people a sense of humanism and compassion, for whom the suffering of defenseless animal is stronger than solving their own affairs.
They understood that  comprehensive program of animal protection had been was needed to solve the problem of homeless animals and they  had created a society of animal protection, given it a name distinguished worldwide as a symbol of doom – “SOS“: “Save our Souls!”

It happened in November 1994.
From inception of its creation a society has consistently campaigned for joining Ukraine to the international movement to protect animals from cruelty. For, despite the fact that Ukraine is a member of the Council of Europe, in the field of animal’s protection it was and remains far behind the civilized countries, traditionally using cruel inhumane methods towards stray animals.
Any action by the Ukrainian and international animal defenders aimed at attracting the attention of relevant governmental agencies of Ukraine and appeals to humanity met bureaucratic attitude,  like: «the problem of homeless animals is being solved as per international standards» (that is absolutely not true) or «we have beggers, homeless children on the streets and you are talking about dogs…»
All this is true, however, to solve these problems one by one is like to wash one hand for greeting, and hide a filthy one behind because the world is interconnected. And humane treatment of animals affects the humane attitude to each person. No one will argue that an animal shelter brings humanity and knackery  is a legal advocate violence.
Remember that any society that finds cruelty and indifference in relation to stray animals will never be kind and compassionate and respectful for people.
Today, thanks to the animal protection society “SOS“, were taken the first steps in protecting animals in Ukraine. Although this is only a drop in the sea of problems, hundreds of animals found in the society’s shelter in Pirogovo not only a roof over the head but also received veterinary care.
It is symbolically the shelter in Pirogovo is located on the territory of the former city knackery which activity caused an international scandal in 1996-97.

It happened when Tamara Tarnavs’ka, a journalist, founder and president of the society, lost hope to convince the leaders of city authorities that antihuman policy towards  stray animals “catch and kill” is not only cruel  but also ineffective and appealed for help to international animal protection organizations from European countries.

In December 1996 German journalist Christa Shekhtel and representatives of German and Austrian Animal Protection Societies came to Kyiv. Together with members of “SOS “ they spent couple of days at the walls of knackery  in Pirogovo, where animals were brutally killed over 50 years.