The shelter for stray dogs and cats is an inconspicuous, low building in northwest Tallinn. Verkkoada’s advertising sheet asks for donations for dogs and cats. Locals heading to the neighboring Pikakar beach do not pay any attention to it.
However, the shelter of the Estonian Varjupaikade MTÜ animal protection association is familiar to many Finns, because on average once a week a Finn takes a pet from the shelter. For example, in mid-August, someone from Finland wanted to offer a home specifically to a 12-year-old cat.
– The chances of older cats getting a new home are much smaller than for kittens. It’s great that animals that are either slightly older or have a problematic nature are often brought to Finland, he says Varjupaikade of the MTÜ organization (you will switch to another service) communications manager Anni-Anete Mõisamaa.
He presents the clean and spacious spaces of 30 cats to . Some of the cats will immediately pounce on your feet, purr and surrender to being stroked, while others will stay firmly within the limits of the ceiling with climbing trees or immediately retreat even further away from the person.
One of the cats would like all the attention of the visitors and will hiss and claw at the other cats further away.
Cats and dogs usually end up in the animal protection association’s care from the streets. Some animals have been confiscated from their owners in connection with an inspection visit by the authorities.
And then there are the puppy mills, from which in the past year three times large amounts of animals have ended up for the care of this association.
– Last December, a large dog puppy factory was discovered in the town of Sillamäki in northeastern Estonia. 94 chihuahua-like dogs were kept in the triangle of apartment buildings. Some of the dogs had been in the factory for more than ten years as birthing machines.
According to Mõisamaa, dogs were afraid of people; apparently they didn’t interact much with people at the puppy mill. At first they were used to people and medicated, and in a few months they all found a home.
– The interest was great, people wanted to help. A few of these little dogs also ended up in Finland.
Over the past year, 27 Doberman-like dogs and 40 Scottish Shepherd-like dogs have also been brought into the care of the Varjupaikade MTÜ organization from exposed puppy mills. In addition to Tallinn, the association also has offices elsewhere in Estonia.
– Everything depends on how the Agriculture and Food Agency reacts to the tips received and how effectively the puppy mills are run down.
Mõisamaa says that dogs are abandoned in Estonia today significantly less than ten years ago.
– The culture of keeping dogs has improved significantly. People understand that dogs should not be allowed to walk on the streets. Unfortunately, the situation for cats is worse, a lot of education is still needed.
The authorities stop importing
In Finland, there are also several associations that deal with found animals, and in recent years, in addition to Estonia, dogs have been brought to Finland from Lithuania, Russia, Romania, Spain and Hungary, among others.
If you are bringing a cat or dog to Finland, you should read the import conditions in advance Food Agency (you switch to another service) and Customs (you switch to another service) from the pages. For example, an adult dog imported from Estonia is required to have a rabies vaccination and echinococcal medication, which the Varjupaikade MTÜ animal protection association administers to the animals it cares for.
The Food Agency is concerned about the import of rescue dogs and the spread of animal diseases also due to, for example, Ukrainian dogs, because Ukrainians fleeing the war were allowed to bring their pets into the EU without the normal import requirements (you switch to another service).
Crime Commissioner Crista Granroth advises everyone who buys a pet from abroad to be critical in order to know for sure what comes with the pet. Granroth investigates animal-related crimes in the criminal investigation unit of the Helsinki police.
– From the perspective of the police, I would like to say that a lot of injuries occur with dogs, dogs bite people and dogs bite each other. A lot of rescue dogs are involved in these, but there is no researched information on whether the reason is that a lot of them are brought to Finland or whether people who do not have the ability to control animals take them, says Granroth.
According to him, the reason may also be that rescue dogs become house dogs from completely different conditions, in which case behavior problems only show up.
The Helsinki police receive several tips a month about possible puppy mills, when puppies are sold in apartment buildings or online in Finland. If necessary, cooperation is also carried out with other Finnish police departments or the police of the Baltic countries.
It is not allowed to photograph the interior of the dogs
We don’t get to see the dogs’ interiors at the Tallinn Zoo. The reason is that not all dogs are used to strangers yet.
A large, mixed-breed-looking dog walking alone in the outdoor yard is startled by the photographer’s camera tripod and darts to the other end of the large yard, from where it watches us unflinchingly.
Later, it dares to come and sniff the hand of the reporter crouched next to the mesh fence, but then it Leaps away again as a swagger. This dog was found on the street.
We are also shown another big mixed-breed-looking dog, which walks nicely on a leash and rolls around in the grass enjoying itself.
This dog has been taken away from its previous owner by the authorities. After a while, the employee goes to check the gate of the outdoor park, because the dog had already learned to test whether there would be a way to freedom.
Varjupaikade MTÜ’s communication manager Anni-Anete Mõisamaa praises the Finn animal protection association Rekku Rescueta (you will switch to another service) for financial assistance. Help has also been received from the Finns when a lot of animals have suddenly been brought from puppy mills.
– When 27 doberman-like dogs came at the same time last year, their treatment costs totaled more than 10,000 euros. Rekku Rescue paid half of this, says Mõisamaa.
The interview of Anni-Anete Mõisamaa, communication manager of the Varjupaikade MTÜ organization, was interpreted by Rain Kooli, journalist of Ylen Estonia.
You can discuss the topic until Saturday, September 17 at 11 p.m.
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