Nomination "Responsible for those": "KotoSpas56" is a unique hybrid of a volunteer initiative and a professional rescue service specializing in the prompt rescue of animals.
The Orenburg volunteer association "KotoSpas" is an emergency rescue service for animals established on November 25, 2025. However, its story began earlier—rooted in love and mercy for animals. According to volunteer rescuer Ekaterina Marykova, the first thoughts of creating the movement arose during the 2024 flood, which submerged most of the coastal areas in the Orenburg region. "While assisting flood victims, we also had to evacuate animals, which required specific knowledge, equipment and skills. After that, we continued to receive occasional calls to help animals in distress. Since we have no specialized official services for this in our region, we decided that we would help more than just humans. Especially since we already possess certain skills, experience, and a deep love for our furry friends," Ekaterina shared.
The association consists of three experienced volunteers: universal rescuer Evgeny Beginin, who works on the ground, underground, and at heights; Bulat Bairov, who handles high-altitude operations of exceptional complexity; and Ekaterina Marykova, who acts as a rescuer, administrator, and press secretary all in one. "Our small organization has no official director, but we consider Evgeny Beginin to be our leader. We specialize precisely in complex, urgent rescue operations that require specialized equipment, physical training, and specific knowledge. The core of our activity includes the emergency physical rescue of animals from extreme situations, assistance to wildlife, and targeted veterinary aid—we do not just rescue, but also personally transport the injured animals to veterinarians for professional treatment," the volunteer shared.
Representatives of "KotoSpas56" rescue our furry and feathered friends from traps day and night, helping not only cats and dogs, but also rare birds, bats, and other wild animals in distress within the city. Moreover, nighttime callouts are a common occurrence for the volunteers. It is during these hours that helpless animals are most frequently noticed—the very same creatures that dozens of people walked past during the day without stopping to help the poor things.
The animal rescuers work in close cooperation with Orenburg's emergency services. Calls from residents seeking rescue for animals are received by the unified dispatch service and promptly forwarded to "KotoSpas56."
Many of the volunteers' callouts are, of course, related to rescuing animals—whether they are strays or escaped, lost pets. These four-legged creatures frequently get into car accidents or find themselves trapped in dangerous places like trees, high-rise structures, deep pits, wells, and impassable underground tunnels. For instance, as reported by Orenburg Media, a cat named Pechenka (Cookie) spent over 15 hours in a narrow gap between a wall and the building's exterior cladding after being spooked by a dog during a walk with her owner. She categorically refused to leave her hiding spot, ignoring even her favorite treats. Neither the owner nor the local housing management maintenance worker managed to pull the pet out. Volunteer Evgeny Beginin unscrewed the cladding panel, safely retrieved the cat, and returned her to her happy owner.
Unusual calls happen as well. Once, the team had to rescue a "prickly" family from a trap. Three baby hedgehogs crawled into a gap between concrete structures and spent two days there without food or water. Residents of the building managed to pull one baby out on their own. However, rescuing its siblings required the help of "KotoSpas." Thanks to the volunteer's experience and resourcefulness, "Operation Hedgehogs" ended successfully. The amusing trio was released back into their natural habitat. A nearly identical incident occurred recently when volunteers rescued two exhausted puppies accompanied by a hedgehog from a deep concrete trap.
One of the most astonishing rescue stories took place in May. A frightened city resident called emergency services due to a scary reptile in the yard of a private house, as reported by "1743.ru." However, the mysterious creature posed absolutely no danger. The uninvited guest turned out to be a large exotic lizard—an agama—which was carelessly basking in the sun. "KotoSpas" came to the rescue, relieving the woman of the "danger," and tracked down the owners of the escaped reptile. It turned out that the freedom-loving exotic traveler was named Zhora. The lizard was safely returned to its home terrarium.
In addition to animal rescue, the volunteer association engages in educational activities aimed at fostering a responsible public attitude toward animals. "We write articles, organize children's drawing contests, visit kindergartens, and participate in city events," Ekaterina explained.
The volunteer association exists and develops solely through the voluntary assistance and donations of caring residents. "Our strength lies in our response speed, close ties with professional rescuers, the ability to establish contact with distressed animals, and building a trusting dialogue with society through the media. And the support of our fellow citizens is what gives us the opportunity to move forward, help our furry friends, and never give up," the "KotoSpas56" team emphasized.
Photo from the "KotoSpas56" archive.