{"id":5414,"date":"2025-06-06T20:17:32","date_gmt":"2025-06-06T17:17:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uanimals.org\/media\/?p=5414"},"modified":"2025-06-26T22:33:43","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T19:33:43","slug":"we-do-our-work-with-passion-how-a-shelter-in-tartu-estonia-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uanimals.org\/media\/en\/interviu-en\/we-do-our-work-with-passion-how-a-shelter-in-tartu-estonia-lives\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cWe Do Our Work with Passion\u201d: How a Shelter in Tartu, Estonia, Lives"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A woman in a uniform gets out of a car. <\/span>\u201cYou are early,\u201d<\/span><\/i> she says to me. She\u2019s got soft features but looks confident and even strict. Meet Pilla Osborn, a dog behaviorist and the chief administrator at an animal shelter in the city of Tartu, Estonia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can\u2019t hear barking in the parking lot, as it would be in Ukraine. You can\u2019t really tell that there are dogs\u2019 enclosures behind the fence. The entrance is a clean glass door. To get inside, one has to call the administrator first. Usually, Pilla comes and brings a guest inside the shelter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t you think that it\u2019s easy to get an animal if you come to adopt! First, you have to pass Pilla\u2019s test.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pilla Osborn told UAnimals media about the life of Estonian shelters, whether they rely on charitable donations, and how cat Tikku found a new family. She also explained why it\u2019s not always easy to take good photos with friendly cats and what you need to do to adopt an animal from an Estonian shelter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stray animals in Estonia: 3 animal catchers for half of a country\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Is there a problem with stray animals in Estonia?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Not so much with dogs. Most dogs have their people. Right now, basically, all the dogs in our shelter came from their owners, who gave them to us. But there is a problem with cats. We are doing a lot of spaying here, and we promote spaying and neutering. But we don\u2019t see any dropping of levels that way. Somehow there are still cats wandering in the fields, countryside, bringing tons of young ones. All these animals end up here.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\n

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Spaying and neutering prevent suffering<\/p>\n

UAnimals has now completed nine veterinary missions in Ukraine’s frontline regions. Our veterinarians provided spaying and neutering services for cats and dogs there. Since there is no veterinary care in these regions of Ukraine, animals reproduce quickly and suffer from hunger and shelling on the streets.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Support UAnimals <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n [vc_column_text]Who brings cats to the shelter?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

People are calling us when there is a situation. <\/span>These cats are not friendly. If they get feral for a couple of generations, people usually can’t catch them. <\/span>This<\/span> is an <\/span>animal catcher\u2019s job<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We use the traps for that. We haven\u2019t used an <\/span>animal capture gun<\/span> for 7 years for sure. The gun works with dogs. You can\u2019t use it with cats. Besides, we need to have a veterinarian. You have to guess the dog\u2019s weight to know how much medication to put in that gun. The animal is far away from you. How much does it weigh? You can approximate, but you can\u2019t know for sure. So it’s a life-and-death situation. Maybe you hit the animal in the wrong place. Maybe you put in too much of that medication. Because of that, we don\u2019t use it at all. We do have one gun here, though.<\/span><\/p>\n

What happens after you receive a call?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

We want to know everything from the person who called us: When they saw the animal, how often, and where the animal usually goes. That is so we can plan out catching ways or time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So animal catchers go on long trips to cover several places at once?<\/b><\/p>\n

Yes, exactly. We have a schedule for that. Earlier calls get responded to earlier, and so on. The catchers work every day, and not just in Tartu. Every county needs to deal with the problem of stray animals, so they need to hire some shelter to do the work for them. Our shelter is prominent in Tartu County, but we are hired by half of the counties in Estonia. We have 3 catchers.<\/span><\/p>\n

3 catchers for half of Estonia?<\/b><\/p>\n

Exactly! We plan a lot. Even if the animal catcher is in a faraway county, we need to cover Tartu city first. We must respond to Tartu city calls in one hour because we have a contract with the city.\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\n

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Pilla next to cat cages<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Pilla next to cat cages\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Pilla next to cat cages<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Shelters in Estonia: How Do They Work? <\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

What happens to a cat when it comes to the shelter?<\/b><\/p>\n

First, we have to see if the animal has a microchip. If so, we can call the owner immediately. They can come to pick the cat up. In Estonia, we can\u2019t have any <\/span>animals walking ou<\/span>tside by themselves. If that is the case, we need to talk with the owner. That would be the best situation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If there\u2019s no chip, we take pictures. We put it up on our webpage, and for the first 14 days, we need to wait for the previous owner to notice that animal on our webpage. By law, we need to keep the animal here for 14 days.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A cat lives in a cage. Cats need to feel that no other cat can come into their territory. But the territory is small. It\u2019s just that cage.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\n

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<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n [vc_column_text]After 14 days, the cortisol levels are dropping. Cats get used to a cage life and surroundings, so they are not acting in defensive aggression.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We have different rooms for cats. At first, they are in a quarantine room. If the cat doesn\u2019t have a microchip, a veterinarian comes here and does the procedures: vaccinations, dewormer, and flea medication. After 14 days, if the cat is friendly and happy, it goes to get spaying\/neutering in the clinic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The clinic needs to make sure that the cat doesn\u2019t have FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus), which is like HIV for people. For that, they are taking blood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If the animal has FIV, this means euthanasia. Lots of stray cats in Estonia have that. Cats get it through bites in catfights. We don\u2019t have any cure for that. On average a cat lives 6 to 7 years after that bite. It\u2019s contagious to other cats. When the disease progresses, organs shut down one by one. With the blood test, you can say if it has it, but you can\u2019t say how long it has had it. Before everything goes bad, we think it\u2019s humane to do euthanasia.<\/span><\/p>\n

If the cat doesn\u2019t have the disease, we come and collect it. Then the animal is waiting for adoption.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dogs that had an owner, do not need all the veterinary procedures. The only thing is that we still have to wait 14 days, and then the dog can live in a shelter in a kennel until possible adoption. We have volunteers coming to walk the dogs. There\u2019s volunteer schooling once a month.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\n

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Every good deed matters!<\/p>\n

UAnimals volunteers go to shelters on a regular basis to help in any way they can. Volunteers walk dogs, take stunning images of the animals to speed up their adoption, pamper them with love and care, and much more.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

UAnimals Instagram page provides regular updates on these events.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

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Take a look<\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n [vc_column_text]How many animals are there in the shelter now?<\/b><\/p>\n

Right now, we have 33 dogs, and the cats \u2026 exactly 100. So that\u2019s 133 animals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is your shelter considered to be small or big in Estonia?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

I have no idea about other shelters. We are very transparent, but I know shelters that don\u2019t even let you in. It’s hard to get the information.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Who owns the shelter?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Tartu City does. This is a municipal shelter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Are there private shelters in Estonia?<\/b><\/p>\n

There are some private shelters popping up here and there. People are trying to do the same thing we do in their living rooms. It\u2019s not really in the law, what is a shelter and what isn\u2019t. So any activist can start saving anim<\/span>als, hoping for donations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Was this place designed as a shelter?<\/b><\/p>\n

Yes, it was. We have worked here since 2006. This building that we are in right now is a year old. Before that, we had a 4 square meters office here, which wasn\u2019t built as a shelter. The city actually built that house.<\/span><\/p>\n

Does a vet or a nurse work here?\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

We have contracts with 2 veterinarians. One comes once a day. An animal caretaker from the shelter helps instead of a nurse.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Do you receive donations?<\/b><\/p>\n

We do need donations. The city does not pay for spaying and neutering. Donations are very important for veterinary care. My paycheck is from the government. The city needs to provide money for each animal for 14 days, and then we are all alone. This is when donations come in.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who usually donates?<\/b><\/p>\n

Ordinary people, who see our work and the passion that we are doing it with.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Do you organize any fundraising campaigns?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

No, we feel really bad about it because everybody else is gathering money, mostly these independent pop-ups. They are also exploiting animals that are really sick. For example, an animal needs a heart transplant. It has to pull human strings. We believe that people are getting tired of all those \u201chelp me\u201d things. So we try not to do that at all. We want to provide the best life for animals here, the best service to the community. We try to get specialists who want to learn more. So people see it all and donate with free will. And we try to make tomorrow a better day than yesterday was.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\n

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In Ukraine, the situation differs<\/p>\n

The state does not fund shelter staff’ salary, nor does the city cover the cost of animals in their care for 14 days. That is why the support of compassionate individuals and organizations is so crucial. UAnimals frequently raises money to support shelters and animal rescue. Join us if you want to help.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A Look Inside: Unneighbourly Dogs and Individualistic Cats<\/b><\/h2>\n

To get to the courtyard, we pass the staff room. The girls are having lunch, and next to them, there is a big red dog. They decided to give him some individual attention. He comes and licks me.<\/span><\/p>\n

Each dog has a kennel in the yard. Pilla explains the nuances of choosing how to fit the dogs next to each other.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cThey live separately but the communication is still intense. So we have to see who fits next to whom.\u201d<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\n

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<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n [vc_column_text]I know that time is of the essence here, so I move quickly. At one point, I start running with a camera to take a picture of a dog.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNever, never run in a shelter!” Pilla stops me sternly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Next, we go to the cat house. There are two rooms: one with larger cages and another with smaller cages. The one with the smaller cages houses cats following surgery. The other features a larger two-story residence.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEach cage is divided into two floors. Upstairs is the space for living and resting, and downstairs is the kitchen and the toilet in the other corner. Although the cage is relatively small, the cat feels safe, because no other cat will enter the territory. Only one cage is cleaned at a time. The cat is out for a little walk through the room. Usually, the cats jump on the windowsill and watch what the dogs are doing outside.\u201d<\/span>
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Each cage has a card with a name and different markings. \u201cOn a diet\u201d is written on one.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEach card has a number on it. It’s an animal’s serial number. It indicates when the animal came to the shelter. We also often write \u2018reserved\u2019 here. It means that someone has already decided to take the animal home.\u201d<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\n

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A note on a cat cage\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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The entrance to a cat room\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n [vc_column_text]I try to take pictures of the residents of the shelter in Tartu, but the cats turn away.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe camera is like a big eye looking at them. So they can be uncomfortable. Friendly cats, shy cats would turn around and hide, but aggressive cats would stare at it and kind of attack it. So there are usually better pictures with aggressive cats.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Next to the room with the cages, there is also a separate room with a cat den and photos of tigers on the walls. One or two cats who have been in the shelter the longest live here. The previous resident has just moved out, so now the next one is moving in, the one on a diet.<\/span><\/p>\n

The kittens have a separate house. At the entrance, there is a sanitizer for both feet and hands. However, the kittens are not touched so that they do not catch diseases. On the wall, there is a board with kittens’ names and flags pinned to it. The kitty with the blue flag is sick, and the one with the yellow flag needs medication.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\n

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Pilla next to a cat house\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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A board with kitten\u2019s names\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n [vc_column_text]\u201cI am a professional in dogs’ behavior,\u201d Pilla says, \u201cbut I am an enthusiast in cat psychology. I am excited about them, and I even take work home! We have lots of kittens, and they are feral. I take kittens home to socialize them so they have individual attention, and I can turn them friendly so that they can find homes better. But I don\u2019t get paid for that at all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

How does your family react?<\/b><\/p>\n

I have a dog and a cat. And I have a husband. My husband thought that he had not liked cats at all when we got married. That was 9 years ago. And now he is asking me, \u201cHey, which one are you bringing home tomorrow?\u201d He is working from home. So I need to train him to train the kittens.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tikku is leaving for a new home\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

As we talk, an elderly couple comes to the office with a pet carrier. A big furry cat sits insid<\/span>e.\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]\n

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Tikku in a cat carrier\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Tikku with his new family\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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A shelter room where Tikku lived\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n [vc_column_text]Pilla ma<\/span>kes some notes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis cat\u2019s name is Tikku. He has been living with us for the longest time, since my birthday on November 26. He lived in a separate room.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There were 2 outside cats in a summer home, Tikku and Takku. Both were brought here. People took them into an apartment. There they had <\/span>a female cat. Catfig<\/span>hts started happening because the people didn\u2019t do the introduction perfec<\/span>tly. Fighting over the female cat, Takku got beaten up by Tikku, who\u2019s a really big cat.<\/span> The people didn\u2019t want to deal with the fights. Today Tikku goes to a new home. The couple takes him. They have had cats before. It\u2019s not their first visit here. If you want an animal, you have to come here multiple times to get to know each other.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is that a rule?<\/b><\/p>\n

Yes. From an animal’s point of view, it\u2019s important. They haven\u2019t been in your place, so it would be best if they knew you ahead. In that way they have a comfort person already. That is animal psychology that we are learning a lot about.<\/span><\/p>\n

How does it work if someone wants to adopt an animal?<\/b><\/p>\n

They come on visiting hours and tell us what cat or dog they are interested in. I\u2019m walking with every person so I can read their energy and the animal\u2019s energy and say if it is a good or a bad idea. I want to know everything about them. We can ask if they want an outside cat. Then we can say, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, we don\u2019t give cats outside. It works the other way: We are taking cats from the streets.\u201d<\/em> I ask if they have other animals at home. There are some cats who don\u2019t tolerate any other animals. They think they are the only cat on Earth. Maybe that cat is not right for you then. Do you have little kids at home? What is your daily schedule? How much time can you have with this animal? How can you help this animal to socialize better? When we put up dogs for adoption, sometimes there are several candidates. We even decide who will take the dog. It’s a lot of paperwork. But with cats, there’s nothing like that. Many people don’t want to deal with problems and just bring them back. \u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Does it happen that people return animals?<\/b><\/p>\n

Exactly, for whatever reason. Taking an animal is not a fairytale. You need to go to the dog school. You need to be financially in a good place. You need to think about 15 years of the dog\u2019s life being with you, not just take this puppy at random. Or giving animals as gifts. We don\u2019t approve of it here.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you handed Tikku over, you crossed something out on a piece of paper over there, on the wall. It looks like a detective board!\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

We do an advertisement on our webpage. We put pictures there, and Tikku\u2019s picture had been there for the longest time. Since they have been there for so long, we promote them to get to new homes. We know more about them, and we make little stories about them. Maybe people can see something that pulls at their heartstrings and think, \u201cThis cat is for me.\u201d<\/em> I\u2019m crossing over whoever goes home.<\/span><\/p>\n

It seems to me that everyone is crossed out, right?<\/b><\/p>\n

Not yet, but most of the cats are!\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A woman in a uniform gets out of a car. \u201cYou are early,\u201d she says to me. She\u2019s got soft features but looks confident and even strict. Meet Pilla Osborn, a dog behaviorist and the chief administrator at an animal shelter in the city of Tartu, Estonia.\u00a0 You can\u2019t hear barking in the parking lot, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5383,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[62,96,98,157,156,45,94,64,66,40,95],"topic":[30,28],"class_list":["post-5414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviu-en","tag-koty-en","tag-dogs","tag-shelter","tag-social","tag-stray","tag-volonterstvo-en","tag-bezprytulni-en","tag-prytulok-en","tag-sobaky-en","tag-sotsialne-en","tag-sterylizatsiia-en","topic-dosvidcheni-en","topic-vriatovani-i-nebayduzhi-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow a Shelter in Tartu, Estonia, Lives<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How does a shelter in Estonia function? 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