And this is how this blog got started

I'm Bilyana - the founder of Animal Aid International. I run much of AAI's operations on a daily basis. I go through many more animal stories than make their way to AAI's page, for better or worse. I have lived for years in Eastern Europe and know first-hand the harsh reality which many of the rescuers face all the time. So I have stories to tell.

I also happen to be an opinionated woman who believes in the power of words to inspire. (Great shock to those of you who have been following AAI's Facebook page, right?!) Since my mama taught me to speak my truth (yes, you will hear about her and my grandma), I have been sharing some of these stories with the organization's followers. However, a good portion of the details and the deeply personal elements remained in private messages or simply undisclosed. Some of those details are silly, some are painful, but all are descriptive of the animal rescue reality.

So I invite you into my world. Join me as I reminisce about the simple ways in which my family raised me to love animals. Soar with me on the emotional high of finding an adoptive home for a doggie about whose future the rescuers were privately very concerned. Shed a tear with me on the cold nights when I grieve the pups and kitties on the streets. And with every line written, every entry published, help me keep animal rescue and welfare on the minds and in the hearts of many.