Walking Dogs in Ukraine
How I found a sense of positivity amidst the crisis
Disclaimer
I’m going to begin with the same caveat that Google Maps has on every pin in Ukraine.
Information about this [post] may be outdated. Always pay attention to real-world conditions, which may be rapidly changing.
The what and the why
I’ve wanted to visit Ukraine for as long as I can remember. It started as a bucket list trip when I discovered the origins of my last name as a kid, and grew over the years as I came to appreciate Slavic culture more generally, from the language to the music to the films.
I originally planned to visit in the summer of 2020, but my plans kept getting pushed back — first due to COVID and later due to Russia’s special military operation.
After years of hoping the situation would stabilize, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I didn’t want to visit as a tourist because it felt wrong to tour a country at war, but figured I could justify a volunteer trip if the right opportunity came up.
I started by looking into the logistics of visiting Ukraine, which turned out to be surprisingly straightforward. For anyone curious, this guide matched my experience traveling to Ukraine pretty closely.
Next, I researched the situation on the ground to make sure that a trip would be within my risk tolerance. Contrary to the travel advisory, I found that Western Ukraine was actually pretty safe, at least at the time of my research.
And finally, I looked into volunteer opportunities, hoping to find something that supported the country without contributing to the conflict. It only took a few minutes for me to find the perfect opportunity and book my trip. I’d spend a week in Lviv and volunteer at Domivka Animal Shelter.
Fast-forward 2 months and I found myself at the entrance to Domivka.
Domivka
First, some facts about Domivka-
- Domivka was founded before the war with the mission to save wild animals in our country from human violence
- It’s not just dogs — they recently adopted the animals from a zoo in Eastern Ukraine
- 2 weeks before my trip, they announced their closure due to lack of funding; fortunately, they were able to raise additional funds to continue operations by doing a flea market
- Yes, they take donations
I arrived on my first day without any idea how I would be helping. After Google Translating my intentions with lots of hand gestures, the volunteer coordinator nodded and walked away.
A minute later, he handed me a leash with a dog on the other end of it, a roll of poop bags, and a bag of treats. He pointed at the dog and said Альт (pronounced Alt) and then pointed at the park and said “one”, which I assumed to mean one hour.
Альт proceeded to walk me through the park, and then I repeated this process with a new dog every ~hour until all the dogs had been walked. Fortunately, there were other volunteers helping.
I’d never walked dogs for an animal shelter before, but was surprised at how much each dog’s personality came through on the walks. Just to give a few examples, Альт loved smelling flowers, Вольт loved playing tug of war with the leash, Баня freaked out at the sight of moving bicycles, and Добі knew that I would dump out the treats if he made a scene.
If you ever think about adopting a dog, I highly recommend walking dogs at an animal shelter for a few days to get a sense of their personalities.
Lviv
When I wasn’t volunteering at Domivka, I was spending my time exploring Lviv. I don’t know what I was expecting from the largest city in Western Ukraine, but it certainly wasn’t the mix of historic charm and modern energy that greeted me.
Besides being photogenic, Lviv also had an amazing food scene. The animal shelter opened at 10am, so I usually had time to get breakfast beforehand. Some of my favorite breakfast spots were Cafe Inshi, Cukor Red, and Baczewski.
I had some fantastic dinners too. As I learned from a local, you can’t go to Marevo alone because their pizza and risotto are both ‘made by the gods,’ and it would be a crime to enjoy one without the other. Реберня “Під Арсеналом”, my personal favorite, specialized in meats and made you eat with your hands.
And if the food scene wasn’t enough, Lviv has a local beer orchestra that plays live music at their home brewery and the occasional restaurant.
Ukraine
I’ve intentionally kept this post away from politics because I want to focus on the main message that organizations like Domivka need your help and that Lviv should be at the top of your travel list once the country is ready for tourists again. I recommend this episode of the Lex Fridman podcast if you want to learn more about the historical context of the conflict.
Even though my experience was mostly shielded from the war, I could still see and feel its effects around me. The lack of tourists in such a wonderful city was relatively good for me, but it left a bitter aftertaste knowing that Lviv deserved more attention than it was getting.
The true impact of the war became even more apparent when talking to Ukrainians. People are attending funerals on a weekly basis, men 18–60 are no longer allowed to leave the country, and Western Ukraine has received a ton of immigration from the east, leading to stark cultural differences that were invisible to me, but obvious to locals.
With all that said, I also felt an overwhelming sense of positivity and unity from the people and wish them continued strength as they navigate these challenging times. I look forward to the day when I can return to Ukraine not just to volunteer, but to celebrate its culture in a time of peace. Until then, I carry with me immense respect for the people and gratitude for the opportunity to witness their unwavering spirit firsthand.
