Healing Paws in Moscow: My experience in Animal Care
When I arrived in Moscow in order to study at HSE I carried everything I needed; the winter clothes, the notebooks, language books and my timid little cat who had been with me since my teens. Transferring the pets was stressful, especially when it was a pet, and I was the one she leaned on. However, I believed that the most difficult job would be to get her better acclimatized to a new climate, new living quarters and new sounds of Moscow. I did not suspect that animal care should also be as humane and properly arranged in this city.
During the initial few weeks there were no problems. She also visited the apartment, gazed birds through the window and slept next to my laptop during internet seminars. But one evening I saw that she was not eating. On nights she would not drink water, would curl herself into a small ball and would breathe quicker than normal. The same panic that I had experienced at home in Pakistan came back in a flash, it was the memories of a crowd of clinics, the long queues and the unceasing fear whether my pet would be taken care of in time.
I took her in her travelling blanket and started hunting the nearest veterinary facilities. Surprisingly, Moscow had numerous emergency clinics, online booking, and even 24/7 hotlines to the pet owners. After a few minutes, I was able to locate a veterinary center within two metro stops of my dorm and even at that time, they responded very fast.
Efficiency and Empathy: First Impressions
As I stepped in the clinic, I felt an unusual calmness. The employees greeted me with a friendly smile, the first thing they noticed was that I was nervous. One of the nurses came and quietly checked my cat and asked questions in slow intelligible Russian language so I can comprehend. She even resorted to using simple English phrases which she noticed when I was hesitant.
Compared to the regular clinics that I had been attending in Pakistan where the waiting time, overcrowded rooms, and poor equipment often prove to be stressing, the clinic in Moscow seemed to be well-arranged and even soothing. It was registered in less than five minutes. They analyzed her microchip, made a medical file, and explained to me on step-by-step basis how it was done.
As the veterinarian stepped into the room he knelt up next to the carrier and allowed my cat to smell his hand before he touched her. That was a little thing that I was not used to. It was understanding, tolerant and sensitive towards an animal that was already scared of the sickness and associated with traveling.
He proceeded to examine her, take her temperature, examine her hydration, and do a brief ultrasound. It all took place in one room, with the use of modern equipment which I had just watched on videos back home. After a little more than a half an hour we were given a definite diagnosis, which was inflammation of the stomach due probably to stress and change of weather.
The doctor described the treatment program and printed the instructions on both Russian and English just to know whether I was okay with taking the medicine. This was a relief I had never experienced before since her symptoms had manifested.
Exploring the Animal-Care Culture in Moscow
During the week I was there I was taught that animal health is taken seriously by Moscow. There are pet specific medicines in the pharmacies and even most of the clinics possess modern diagnostic equipment. The city has an international population and so many of the veterinarians speak more than one language. Care is visible even in the most general areas, there are pet shops, animal adoption facilities, grooming services, and some animal shelters have collaborated with volunteers, and they conduct community events where students could assist in socializing with rescued animals.
One weekend, I came to a nearby shelter because of an announcement in one of the student chats of HSE. I was not sure what to expect, but a quiet and sad place with few funding, volunteers, and space, which many shelters in Pakistan have. To my surprise, I discovered well-lit rooms, sanitary playgrounds and dedicated employees who were able to name every animal. There were also some volunteers, some of whom were international and Russian students similar to myself, to walk dogs, clean the enclosures, and interact with the rescued cats.
The way people treated the animals was so tender that I realized this is the reason why the culture of pets in Moscow is so powerful. Shelter animals are adopted by a great number of family members, and veterinary clinics collaborate with rescue organizations to make sure that they are treated before adoption. It revealed to me a system of care, medical, emotional and community-based.
The Impact of the Experience on me
My cat recovered quickly. A few days after, when she had taken a dose of medicine and had rested, she started taking food again, and as before, followed me around the rooms, and occupied her old station on my windowsill. But something got different as well, my perception of Moscow.
I was always told that life in a foreign country gives you something that you were not expecting to learn. I did not anticipate that one of such lessons would be in a veterinary clinic. I was impressed by the kindness of the employees, the expertism of the physician, the access to emergency services, and the surrounding community of animal welfare. The fact that, even when being miles apart, my pet and I were not alone was reassuring.
In Pakistan, animal clinics are widely diverse, some are magnificent, others are inexpensive, yet most of them do not have resources, equipment or trained specialists. The fact that such ready, humane, and efficient service is available in Moscow made me see the standards that this city maintains in regard to animal welfare.
A Caring City
It is a lesson I learned in a simple but significant way of treating living beings in the city; it is the way a city takes care of its animals, besides the museums or universities it has. Another thing that had a strong impact on me was the way the veterinary services, shelters, and a community of volunteers in Moscow showed their concern.
Moscow is inclusive of the students of all kinds, and HSE is no different, as it is inclusive of the animals who share its streets, houses, and daily existence.
In case you are a pet owner and study at HSE, you should know that you can count on the help of the city. And though you may not keep a pet come to a shelter, once and you may feel comfortable, community or even a new furry friend.
References
- Moscow Department of Veterinary Services – Animal Health and Welfare Programs https://www.mos.ru/en/vet/
- Moscow Animal Shelters Overview (Russia Beyond) https://www.rbth.com/lifestyle/332592-animal-shelters-moscow
- International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) – Russia Projects https://www.ifaw.org/international
- World Small Animal Veterinary Association – Veterinary Standards in Russia https://wsava.org
Shared by
Tuba Masood
