Best Bark About Russia: Having my mom watch me in the hold from the hatchet in the back of the old plane.

Worst Yelp About Russia:Getting fed old chicken from a kind Russian lady on Red Square because she thought I was stray!

Russia has always been an enigma to me. They sent 40 of my brothers up into space back in the 50’s and 60’s – unless UFO’s (Unidentified Furry Objects) exist, dogs were indeed the very first creatures into space. Sadly, few returned. Even less really know the whole story. Part of our visit in Russia included a visit to the Centre for National Film. I met the producer and director of the cartoon film (to be released in December) called “Belka and Strelka – star dogs’ it recounts their tail and return to earth from space. Of course Laika was first up there, but the story was too sad to make a movie about it. I would have liked to have visited the space centre but this is Russia and I’m a dog. It takes years to get pooch permission to do anything, and I’m on a mighty tight mutt mission!

Saint Petersburg was my first stop and I was privileged enough to visit the very first shelter in Saint Petersburg. The Saint Petersburg SPCA has been in full woof for almost 20 years now and the dedicated founder Elena Valerianova Kurkholaine still spends every moment making sure it won't be the last. There are actually only 3 shelters in the whole city; this one houses just over 120 dogs, but recources keeps the place looking a little rustic. It is run by a few volunteers, including Tatyana Venediktova who has acted as the chairperson for the past 3 years. Mr. Valeri, the old charasmatic Russian ex seaman cooks the dog’s food out of the old army barrels - Its a scene I bet I'll never see at another shelter, anywhere!

Ask Elana how her quest to build Saint Petersburg’s first shelter and her whole face lights up. She saw a stray one icy winter’s day in the city; the dog was bleeding in the snow. Everyone just passed by; no one cared at all. She picked him up and called everywhere trying to find a place where he could be taken, but there was nowhere. That’s when she decided to do something about the situation, and so the shelter was born. She's a light for the dogs here and Oscar salutes her!

Getting from Saint Petersburg to Moscow was more like a scene out of a 1945 war movie with a bone of comedy stuck in-between. Its 150% impossible to find out from any office anywhere to get an answer whether a dog is allowed on the train between the two cities! It’s crazy. Eventually you figure out that it all comes down to the conductor and how much juicy bones he wants! Bribery an canine-ruption, yehaaa!! I had to share a concentrated cabin with 3 old Russian that looked more like a Russian Spy movie - it was hilarious, quite an experienec - and you’ll have to see the footage to really believe it!!

There are 5 Private shelters in Moscow called BIM. The first was created in 1986. These are run and supported by one person – an amazingly smart (2 degrees in Mathematics and Physics!) and dedicated individual called Darya Taraskina. I visited the biggest of the lot called BIM Khoteichi Shelter - created in 1996, it’s an hour out of Moscow – 3 hours when there’s traffic! 800 dogs, 300 cats, a camel, a few horses and the odd donkey and pig make this place their temporary home on what is a beautifully set haven on 4 hectares. This BIM shelter that was formed in 19 paradise found for these animals. There are 15 government shelters in Moscow itself ad they are nothing short than killing facilities. In fact, they are worse than that. Visit any to ‘Adopt a dog’ and they’ll say they aren’t open – they act more as collection points – taking stray dogs offthe streets and sticking them in these desperate minute cages where they die of starvation and disease. It’s a horrific situation and one that make some sometimes wish that the cold war had been won by the West. BUT, this is a positive pooch mission so back to Darya! Why did she create all these BIM shelters? Well, she loves animals, obviously. But BIM is actually the part name of a dog from a very moving book called White Bim Black Ear that she once read. It’s a very powerful and moving book - and inspired her to make a change in the world.

A special bark of thanks to Tanya (BIM Shelter) for arranging the program in Moscow and Darya for all her assistance with getting around the place - and of course to Anastasia from UAR Tours for assisting with the program in Saint Petersburg.

By the way, if you're looking for a good read to help you help the world to be a better place, why dont you start on Darya's book too! Here's the scoop... It''s a touching story is about a white setter with black ear, who became homeless because of his master's illness. His master, Ivan Ivanovich, a man far from being young, fond of hunting and nature, took a puppy to live with him, despite the dog's black ear being a "shame of nature" to his breed. The man always took his dog, whom he called Bim or Bimka, to hunting in country. Later, however Ivan Ivanovich began to have problems with heart and when the disease became worse was taken to a hospital. His dog couldn't bear waiting for the only person that ever cared for him and set out to find his master. Thus began the story of a homeless dog and his many breathtaking and exciting adventures, encounters of many people, kind and evil, and leads to an unexpected and heart-rending end.