Igor Farfaniuc, the administrator of the dog shelter – the angle – see the world as it is!

The dog shelter in the municipality of Ungheni from the management of the City Hall administration was opened in the autumn of 2024. Here, the animals find food, care and, for many of them, a new family. With the support of employees, volunteers and local community, the shelter works daily to ensure better conditions and to reduce the number of stray dogs in the city for this they are sterilized, treated and vaccinated. However, the challenges are not lacking, and the need for resources and involvement remains constant. About all this I discussed with Igor Farfaniuc, the administrator of the dog shelter.

– How does dog shelter work?
– In the shelter is permanent: stray dogs, largely sick, who require treatment, dog chicken and chicken. One of the main objectives of the shelter is to find adoptive families for dogs. So far, 16 chickens and adult dogs have already been adopted.

– How many places does the shelter currently have?
– There are 46 adult dogs and 30 chicks in the shelter. A sterilization campaign will be organized soon, and some of the dogs will be released back on the streets of the city, according to the initial management plan of the canine population. After performing the necessary procedures, they will be issued in poorly populated areas, where feeders will be installed in specially arranged places. They will be monitored by the volunteers and the employees of the arrangement sector in the municipality of Ungheni.

– How many employees and volunteers does she have shelter?
– The shelter has an administrator and two technical workers from the Ungheni arrangement sector. In addition, in the activity of the shelter are involved 10 volunteers who help to care for dogs and the good functioning of the shelter.

– What does a working day look like in the dog shelter?
– The work day begins with dog feeding and cleaning the stems. The technical workers cleanse the territory, provide animals with water and maintain the order. During the day, the control of the health status of the dogs is carried out, to identify any medical problems. Also, all dogs are walking, which contributes to their socialization and to improve the physical condition. The technical workers also carry out trips to the city at requests for catching dogs without a master and transporting them to the shelter. The administrator coordinates the activity of the shelter, monitors the condition of the dogs and collaborates with the volunteers. In the evening – we feed them and prepare them for the night.

-You told me that the employees catch the dogs. How easy is this process and in what condition you find?
– Catching dogs without a master is a difficult task. Some of them are friendly and are easily approaching people, but most are scared, cautious or aggressive, especially if they have had negative experiences with people. Often, the dogs brought to the shelter are in a precarious state, they are weakened due to lack of food, they have trauma as a result of road accidents or attacks, they suffer from dermatological, parasitic or infections. Some require emergency veterinary assistance, so they are immediately isolated and examined, if necessary and treated according to medical needs.

– Do you still need to build steers?
– Yes, the space is limited, and in the near future the construction of new stems is planned. A quarantine area and separate cages for chicken mothers will be arranged to ensure better conditions for vulnerable dogs.

– Has the problem with the lighting and construction of the box for medical manipulations have been solved? Is there a veterinarian who gives help to sick dogs?
– Yes, the shelter now has electricity, which is very important. During the cold period, food and dog water are constantly heated, helping them to support low temperatures. The veterinary office has been equipped since the opening of the shelter, and sterilizations have already been performed there. The shelter has a veterinarian, who regularly examines dogs and comes to urgent requests if necessary. In addition, a surgeon visits the shelter to perform sterilization and castration.

– How active is the community involved in the campaign to donate food and financial resources? Who makes donations?
– We are proud of our inhabitants and we always thank them, because we feel huge support. Citizens, local students and public authorities come in the shelter, who bring food, blankets, sawdust and other necessary things. They actively help the shelter and organize charity. The students of the « Gheorghe Asachi » High School, for example, organized a concert, and from the money collected bought food for our animals. The students of the Ungheni Medicine College, together with their teacher, purchased dog food. The primary school « Spiridon Vangheli » organized an action to collect funds to help the animals, and from the money, dog boxes were bought. The students from the « Ion Creangă » Theoretical High School, also bought dog food. As well as the employees of the Ungheni District Council have recently come up with such a donation. We recently made a contract with a sausage factory in Chisinau, which will give us 100 kilograms of meat scraps each month. For their preservation the town hall has provided us with a freezer. We are grateful to every person who helps us take care of dogs without a master.

– What problems do you face in the work process?
– The main problems are: limited space for animals; the construction of a quarantine area; Capturing dogs without a master, which can take days. We are facing difficulties in the adoption process and that is why we would like with all the small dogs to find a family and a loving home. Another problem is the adaptation of dogs, because many animals that come to the shelter are afraid of humans or need a long time to get used to the new environment. Some dogs need more time for socialization. It is necessary to account for the owners of animals, because people continue to abandon dogs on the streets, which increases the number of animals without a master. Very small chickens are frequently brought to the shelter, which have not completed two more months, they are extremely weak, without immunity, and the lack of adequate medical equipment creates difficulties in this aspect.

– From the online sources I saw that you had foreign volunteers in the shelter. How do you see this involvement?
– Yes, in our team is the citizen of Italian origin, Massimo Risconi. His contribution to the activity of the shelter is invaluable. It helps actively in the care of animals, organizing processes and performing daily tasks. Massimo works excellent in team with our volunteer Nichita Grușca, and their common work brings great benefit to shelter.

– What do you expect in the future?
– The shelter continues to develop, and in front there are many goals that will help improve the conditions for dogs and to make the activity more efficient. The main plans are: the construction of new stems; extension of the sterilization program; attracting new volunteers and active adoption of dogs; Launch of information campaigns to increase awareness among inhabitants about human treatment. We are sure that we will succeed with the help of people with big heart these plans to be made, and the lives of animals will become better.