My paws will not dry, I have to help others. That's why we made cups, I put a paw print and called everyone to gnaw the Russian.
Dog Duke about working with Tanya Goncharova, rockets in the shelter and charity.
Today he is a successful TV presenter and philanthropist, who became famous thanks to the accidental play on words "my dog Duke" of his owner, TV presenter Tetyana Goncharova, during a live telethon. And even a year ago, he had neither Goncharova, nor ethers, nor even his own name. He lived in a shelter and narrowly escaped the rockets that hit it in the first days of the war.
URSA begins a series of interviews with famous animals and their owners. And the first hero of the new column was, of course, Dog Duke.
- Hello Duke Dog! Today we know you as Tanya Goncharova's co-host in the Goncharova Podcast project, and a year ago you lived in the Best Friends shelter. Do you remember how you got there?
I was born there. As if...
We asked mother Khrystyna (note: Tanya: director of "Best Friends") where I was from. She said that she was born to them. I was a year old when the rockets arrived. And those little ones, who were not even a year old, lived in a separate house, and a rocket hit there, and they died.
And I was already a year old. I am an adult dog and I had a separate enclosure, from which I was released on time, like other adult dogs. On March 1, everything was burning and thundering here, but our Sasha (note Tanya: shelter worker, Khrystyna's husband) ran, burned his hands on the hot iron and let everyone out. Those who survived. His hands were black afterwards, and we all ran into the forest and waited for it to be quiet again.
- How did you meet Tanya? Did you choose your Man or did he choose you?
- Well, how would she choose me when there are 700 of us here and everyone was so happy that they finally had guests again? We had so much fun walking without cages, because some of the cages were gutted, and others had to be cleaned and repaired so that we could live there again. That is why the volunteers of the animal protection organization URSA came to us. But due to the fact that the Rashists left and we no longer had to protect us from the missiles, they protected us from garbage and poop, and I ran to lick them to thank them, and they liked me. And I am happy when someone is happy, so I happily waved my tail at them, thanked them, jumped on them. They took me away. In general, there was no intention to leave the shelter, there were so many friends!
- You moved from the asylum to the capital, to an apartment. Was it difficult for you to adapt to new living conditions? After all, you have, in fact, lived in an enclosure since birth.
- But what is there to adapt?! We walk a lot, we sleep soundly. I now have a reliable and experienced friend - the bull terrier Burya, so I don't miss it. I miss only when the owners are not at home. Before, I was so afraid that they left and wouldn't come back, that they had chewed through half the apartment of books and other things, but now I know: they always come back and kiss us. So we are everything to them.
- Oh, dog Duke, you seem to be a brat! How many Tanya's heels and bite books? Confess.
- Let's not count how many, so as not to remind. Well, different things happen... How did I know that I was loved more than my jewelry? For heels? For a fur coat even, made of eco fur? I didn't know, I was worried, I admit. But now I... I have only chewed on the notebook in the last month and a half, and I have an excuse for that: can there be other things to do besides a walk with me and Burchik?
- By the way, let's talk about your relationship with the bull terrier Bureya. People are often afraid to get a second dog because they worry about conflicts between them. How did he receive you?
- I have never had such a good friend. Even all the dogs in the area know this: bull terriers are the kindest breed and the funnest, and my Burya and the weather. We constantly play and even his toys, skull and lemur, he always gives me when I ask.
- By the way, why exactly did you become a co-host in the "Goncharova podcast" project, and not your friend Burya?
- Storm does not like to work. And I am constantly rejected. He says: "Don't go to that podcast, you haven't even been paid a fee." And I'm interested in everything: people, light bulbs there on lighting devices... when people come and say something nice to me. Therefore, I will continue to walk. And when I'm tired, I sleep on the feet of the guests and I dream about what they came with, I learn so much about it and then I tell Burchik. He grumbles that he shouldn't have left the house for that, but I know: he's interested in listening, so he just rants.
- And how do you like working in the frame? Did you have any curiosities during filming?
- Well, when there is an air alarm, I jump on the windowsill and wait for the rockets. But I haven't seen one yet, and the air defense system works in such a way that I'm unlikely to be able to overtake it. Sneaker licked the guest once, but he said, “Well done Duke the dog! Thanks for the cleanliness!" So what...? I am an obedient dog! I will not cause trouble.
- Share a secret, which of the guests of the "Goncharova podcast" made the greatest impression on you and why?
- I won't say who, but he was the only one who said, "Put the dog away." And I liked Masi Nayem the most. He stroked me like that, looked at me like that, because he himself has a dog, Barmalei, and he knows what we, dogs, need. As with us. I love when I am loved!
- Dog Duke, in addition to your career as a presenter, you are also actively involved in charity work. Tell us about the projects you have implemented. Why did you decide to support URSA?
- Yes, thanks to URSA, I now have a home. This is a coincidence. I could still be sitting in the enclosure, in my best shelter. I loved him. But now I love this house and my Storm. Paws won't dry, I have to help others. That's why we made cups, I put a paw print, called everyone to bite the russula (that's the logo) and I'm transferring all the funds to the animals under the care of the URSA Rescued Animals Center. Burya is against, says: "Let's go for a walk in the restaurant." But I'm not hungry like him, so I give everything I bargained for to the aviaries.
- What a sensitive heart you have, Dog Duke! And how much money did you collect for them?
- Collected 70 thousand. Am I good?
- Why do you think people still buy dogs?
- Well, they buy thoroughbreds like Burya. Expensive and interesting. And who am I? Interesting, but simple. Therefore, they cannot be condemned. Someone likes chamomile, and someone likes orchid. I would simply say: one dog will be bored, even if you are a very cheerful owner, so let you have purebreds and non-breeds. Spend on one, and save the other. And the second reason is that they buy it because they didn't think about what the dog needs. They buy for themselves, whether it is fashionable or beautiful, but in fact going out for 30 minutes a day is all they are capable of. But that's not what we're for, to be honest... it's different with us.
- Does breed matter for a successful career?
- Well, if exhibitions, then yes. Although there is a Barbosa cup - we, the purebred, can go there too. We don't have a career. I am not a careerist, so the main thing is that the owners are close to you and love you, and a career will not bring you joy. Maybe he will make it known, but fame is like that... today it is, but tomorrow it is gone.
- What do you think needs to be done so that animals in Ukraine live happily?
- For one person to take responsibility for at least one animal. From the street, from the shelter. So that no person offends dogs and cats. It's not like I took it and then threw it away. And such girls as URSA will extinguish later in search of money for food.
- What is your life credo?
- Do not stop. Because life is so interesting. Run, extinguish, play, rejoice.
- What does a dog need for happiness?
- Understanding that the owner needs it. My parents are constantly taking me to different places, we go for a walk, then run, then ride a bicycle. Sometimes we jump, sometimes we climb somewhere, then we learn new commands. I should be interested. When it's interesting, it means that I'm not just a thing on a leash that gets bored, because it has to be taken out to pee and poop twice a day. I am ready to do a lot of things, I just need to be shown and explained. And I understand other dogs, and am friendly to them, because I can do anything. They don't pull me away from them, they don't drag me headlong to the other side of the street when someone bigger than me walks by. Everything is so simple!
- What do you do to cheer up your person when they are upset?
I pretend to be a fool. I roll over, roll my eyes, squirm funny... But what secrets do I have to reveal to you? These are my hosts. I will not give them to you!