May 1-31: Stray Animal Rescue and Adoption Updates from Zero Strays Georgia
May has been another busy month for Zero Strays Georgia as we continue to provide essential medical treatments, veterinary care, foster care, and overseas adoptions for stray animals in need. Despite running low on funds, our dedicated team has done everything possible to make the most of every donation and to reach as many stray cats and dogs as possible. Our focus is on minimizing suffering through medical treatments, foster care, adoptions, and sterilization efforts to prevent more animals from facing a life on the streets.
Foster Care System: Helping Strays Find Forever Homes
This month, we’ve featured a detailed update on our foster care system, which is vital in preparing stray animals for adoption. Our foster families provide loving homes, medical care, and socialization for dogs and cats, giving them a better chance at finding a forever home. Learn more about how foster care works and how it supports our rescue efforts.
Adoption Success Story: Jara’s New Life in Munich
One of our favorite success stories this month is that of Jara, a sweet blind puppy who was rescued from the streets of Georgia. Jara has found her perfect forever home with Martina Graf in Munich, where she is thriving despite her challenges. Jara’s journey is a heartwarming reminder of the difference adoption can make for a rescued animal.
Stray Animals Looking for a Home
In addition to success stories like Jara’s, we still have many wonderful dogs and cats looking for their forever homes. Don’t forget to check out our ‘Up for Adoption’ section to see all the animals currently available for adoption: Up for Adoption.
How You Can Help
We rely 100% on donations from our supporters to fund our rescue and adoption efforts. Every contribution—whether big or small—helps us provide medical care, sterilizations, foster care, and adoption services for stray animals in Georgia. If you’d like to learn more about how you can get involved through donations, adoptions, or volunteering, please email us at zerostraysgeorgia@gmail.com.
Gimli was saved from the streets of Svaneti
Gimli saved from the Svaneti highway traveled to Belgium. He was found by our team members Natia and Rusudan on the way to Zugdidi. He was abandoned in the Middle of Nowhere, a small, very scared dog, with zero chance of survival.
He was fostered and prepared for adoption and Rusudan found him a home in Belgium, A Georgian couple adopted him.
Parasite treatments
Many of the strays in Georgia suffer from a range of diseases caused by parasites. We continuously provide medical treatments to alleviate the suffering caused by parasites. This month we focused on strays in Zugdidi.
Stray cat receiving urgent care and sterilisation
Pregnant stray sterilised in Zugdidi
This little girl was sterilised on 27th May in Zugdidi by Vethealth vet George Tchurgulia. Every month, we sterilise strays and pets of families who cannot afford to pay for it themselves, particularly in the area in and around Zugdidi where no large organisations are currently active. We use two clinics in Zugdidi: George Tchurgulia at Vethealth and Emzar Chachua, which assist us in carrying out the sterilisations at a cost of 100 GEL per stray.
Breast cancer patient
Phoebe has mammary gland tumours and need to have all of her breasts removed. She was dumped right after giving birth to puppies and her breasts are still full of milk. However, Phoebe also has severe heart issues that are currently being treated before she can have surgery.
Mikesh keeps fighting
Mikesh has anemia and his surgery has also been postponed as he goes through two more weeks of treatment.
Vet visits for Sakura and Fly
Our foster homes
Our 43 foster dogs live with local village families in the area around Zugdidi. In an environment where poverty is adamant and animal welfare issues an every day occurrence, teaming up with local families to foster strays until they find their own forever home is a win-win for everyone involved. The foster dogs get to stay in a safe, rural environment and cared for by lovely locals who benefit from the foster fee the Zero Strays Team pay them every month. One month of foster care is 50 euro per dog and includes food, care, a wash every now and then and basic medical supplies (deworming etc.). That means we have to cover 2 150 euro per month in foster fees. Mariam spends most of her salary on this, and the rest of the team try to chip in with whatever they can every month. Any support towards covering this 2 150 euro expense is always much appreciated! Don’t forget to check out the lovely little strays who are looking for a new home to call their own!
Jara's success story and her new life in Munich
Jara’s owner Martina Graf tells us: “It was clear to me that when I got a dog, I wanted to give a new home to a dog that hadn’t had it easy in life. Be it because of their age or a disability.
So I became aware of Jara in mid-October 2023 through a german dog rescue organization. Jara has been blind since birth, she was born without eyes.
The association posted a picture of her rescue on Instragram and I immediately knew I wanted to give her a new home. This little sweetheart had already suffered so much pain. I commented on the post and the organization contacted me directly the next day.
After it was clear that I was going to adopt Jara, Mariam contacted me. Mariam is an incredible person who not only took good care of Jara and looked after her, she also takes care of many other street dogs and cats in Georgia and gives a voice to the voiceless.
Mariam kept sending me updates, pictures and videos of Jara and answered all my questions with great patience. She took care of all the necessary documents, had the required examinations and vaccinations carried out and organized a flight sponsor to accompany Jara from Georgia to Germany.
After arriving in Germany, Jara quickly settled into her new life. She is a real sweetheart and everyone loves her. Despite her blindness, she loves to play with her ball and loves to play fetch with other dogs. If you don’t know that she is blind, you wouldn’t know it, Jara is full of life and positive energy.
Next week we will start our sniffing course at the dog school and in about 6 weeks we will start with mantrailing.
I can only encourage everyone to give a dog or cat from Georgia a chance at a loving home. I would especially like to encourage others to adopt a dog or cat with a handicap. They have so much love to give and unfortunately far too seldom a chance, they may look different, but they have all the more love to give.”