The first trip of our volunteer friends with the most heroic and titled dogs of the search and rescue service to neuropsychiatric facility № 11 in Moscow took place in the middle of July, right after the restrictions on visits to social facilities were lifted.
Dog handlers and volunteers of the Search and Rescue Service Moscow group performed in the open air, featuring a dog handler with dancing dogs (this is called freestyle).
The same volunteers from this search and rescue service group have performed for neuropsychiatric facility № 11 for about 5 years. They visit our beneficiaries several times a year, have good relationships and friendly communication with them. This time the meeting held on a beautiful sunny Saturday was very special.
The meeting was planned back in January, but the coronavirus pandemic intervened, and it had to be delayed due to the quarantine restrictions. Everyone was very upset, because it is hard enough to be locked up the whole life in a boarding facility, and it just became impossible to even go outside due to the quarantine. So our beneficiaries at the boarding facility have been waiting and dreaming for almost six months for the volunteers and rescue dogs to come visit!
So when the restrictions were lifted, the volunteers did not miss the opportunity: a cozy meeting of old friends and such a long-awaited event finally took place. The volunteers not only showed the usual performances with dogs, but also were eager to communicate with the beneficiaries themselves and gave the children the opportunity to play with the dogs.
After the isolation and such a long break, this visit of the volunteers was especially important and joyful for the children.
We would like to thank our dear friends – the Search and Rescue Service Moscow Volunteers group and the freestyle dog handler – for their and the support of our fund and these wonderful photos!