• Paws. Hearts. New Beginnings. Island of Hope shelters Dushanbe’s homeless pets until they find forever families. Be the hero that changes a life today.
• Every animal deserves a safe harbor. At Dushanbe’s Island of Hope, we heal, love, and rehome vulnerable cats and dogs. Together, we can give them the beautiful tomorrow they deserve.
An idea that became a mission.
Unlike most organizations, our shelter wasn’t born out of a long-term plan—it was created purely by twist of fate. A series of unexpected circumstances brought us together, starting as a small temporary foster arrangement to save a handful of vulnerable stray dogs and cats on the streets of Dushanbe.
Over time, that temporary refuge naturally evolved into a permanent home where animals could feel safe for as long as they needed. Though our core team remains small, our commitment has never wavered. Operating without regular financial backing means we face tough daily hurdles, but our shared mission keeps us going.
Today, our shelter is home to 80 dogs and 80 cats. Thanks to the dedicated love, care, and rehabilitation they receive here, these animals have healed from their physical and emotional wounds. They are healthy, happy, and patiently waiting to find loving, permanent families of their own.
A True Friend is the coolest gift
We often spend years searching for ways to heal past wounds, fix our mistakes, and finally find peace of mind. But these gentle creatures with their watchful eyes don’t have the luxury of reflection—every single second is a fight for survival.
Give them a life full of safety and love, and you’ll discover that in saving them, a quiet peace finds its way into your own heart, too.
Roxy ended up in the shelter by luck, probably just like many others.
She lived in the Trade Union area, several times one of the local residents called the shooting service, but the dog managed to avoid the fate of being shot thanks to the fact that one young girl sheltered her for a couple of days and subsequently assigned her to our shelter. Where she has been living safely for almost 2 years.
Roxy has a very assertive and active character, not a single booth was left intact from her teeth 😊. She is a very attentive and unsurpassed guardian; she does not treat other inhabitants very cordially, since she is used to being the center of attention, and that is why she goes out for walks exclusively alone, without the accompaniment of her tailed relatives. But at the same time she was a uniquely caring mother for her puppies.
Marta is a sweet little girl who found herself on the street at a very young age.
Our volunteer took her from children on the street. This little miracle, which gets along well with other dogs and even cats, really needs a caring family to whom it can give all its affection and abundance of love. Marta is very sociable, loves children and adults, is an excellent guard, but at the same time singles out her own.
Looking at the active Sarah now, no one will be able to recognize her as a weakened animal, practically unconscious, lying in a cold entrance at night in November 2021.
Our volunteer took her into his house and slept next to her on the kitchen floor so that she would not feel lost and left out.
Thanks to the efforts of one of our volunteers, Sarah came to her senses and was subsequently admitted to a shelter.
Today, Sarah is a strong, active and very playful dog. Her external calm is just a deceptive maneuver that attracts people around her, and as soon as a person comes close to her, she immediately throws herself into his arms, making it clear that she wants to fool around.
Sarah is a wonderful and faithful friend, like many of our pets, she will bring into your family the energy of kindness, carelessness and faith that miracles can happen.
A beauty with kind, sad eyes, who was deeply imprinted by her childhood spent on the street in persecution.
She, like no one else, understands what it’s like to sit in the August heat all day tied with a strong string to a tree without a drop of water. This was her first meeting with children.
When Alpha was taken from the street she had a skin disease, but after a course of treatment Alpha completely recovered. They found her owners, from whom she ran away the very next day. The volunteer lost all hope that they could find her.
Ironically, a month later Alpha is found again, thanks to the fact that a young woman, a foreigner, picks her up from the street and takes her to the veterinary clinic. Subsequently, thanks to the efforts of our volunteer, Alpha ends up in our shelter, where he currently lives.
Over time, Alpha warmed up, came to her senses and began to show her lively character. At the shelter she made a friend, Tina, with whom she sits together in the same enclosure and looks forward to the weekend to go for a walk.
A True Friend is the coolest gift
Is anyone truly capable of capturing a human heart the way a cat does—so effortlessly clever, yet so deeply sincere?
No two are ever the same. Each carries their own unique coat and personality, ready to bring endless joy to your days and a profound, gentle calm to your home. To live with a cat is to know a love that is both wildly entertaining and wonderfully peaceful. ❤️
This stunningly beautiful cat has a calm and independent disposition.
At the same time, she will not give up her plate of food to any of her neighbors at the shelter, and in general she is always ready to stand up for herself.
Zvezda-Musya, about 2.5 years old. Spayed.
They brought her from Khujand, where she ran into a building and a kind woman fed her. But the mean neighbors tried to throw her out. She’s a lonely girl who craves attention.
An annual colorful and creative event that brings together craftsmen and handicraftsmen from all over Dushanbe. The participation of the shelter team, which has already become traditional, helps the shelter present its range of creative products with prints of their pets and stories about each of its inhabitants.
It is always uniquely positive emotions and a rosy mood. The organizers once again gave us the chance to collect help for our pets. With the support of friends and acquaintances, we were able to prepare a series of interesting products with thematic images, hold a master class on modeling, give young guests the opportunity to experiment with paints and even taste delicious charlotte.
Love for animals is instilled from an early age. Following this truth, we conducted a series of presentations for students of the Global school located in Dushanbe. Conducting open lessons on the topic of goodness was initiated by the school leadership, for which I bow to them, because the understanding of goodness and the desire to create it is one of the fundamental qualities that should be instilled in children.
LUDMILA, as the Chief Coordinator, oversees all shelter operations, ensuring the animals receive exceptional care. She is fully dedicated to shelter life, often working physically as a kennel technician, directly feeding and caring for the dogs and cats to ensure their health and happiness.
NOZANIN is responsible for managing the organization’s public communications. She skillfully manages public communications, handles the fundraising efforts, and serves as the primary contact for all communications with foreign fundraisers.
Parvina is an active contributor to the shelter. She participates in all fundraising campaigns and provides media support on social networks.
Success Stories
