Katherine Heigl and Ali Fedotowsky Rescue Sochi Strays

Sochi’s strays have been winning the hearts of animal lovers around of world, captivating both locals and international news readers alike.

Their plight first received worldwide attention when a plan to cull 2,000 stray animals was renewed prior to the start of the 2014 Winter Olympics – a plan that some locals say was being carried out at night, away from public scrutiny.

Once news of the extermination plan reached the public eye however, outrage erupted, spurring Twitter hashtag campaigns and Instagram photo campaigns and a wave of rescue operations. Local activists, like Vlada Provotorva, sprang into action, setting up make-shift shelters to save as many dogs as possible from the cull.

Even Olympians opened up their hearts to Sochi’s strays, with U.S. Olympic silver medal winner, Gus Kenworthy adopting four pups and their mother, snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis adopting a pup of her own, and U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team members, David Backes and Kevin Shattenkirk, adopting one stray each.

Actress Katherine Heigl and E! News Olympic correspondent Ali Fedotowsky have also become involved in rescue efforts. The pair recently teamed up to save two Sochi pups through the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, an organization run by Heigl and her mother and agent, Nancy Heigl, in honor of Heigl’s brother, an animal lover, who died in a car accident at the age of 15.

According to the foundation’s website, the organization’s main goal is to “eliminate the needless suffering inflicted on animals by human cruelty, indifference and ignorance.”

The foundation often assists in rescue operations and in funding programs aimed at ending pet homelessness like spay and neuter clinics.

The rescue of pups Sochi and Adler was the first overseas effort that Heigl and the foundation have taken on. Fedotowsky played a key part in their rescue as she brought the two back with her, arriving with them at the Los Angeles International airport this past Saturday.

Fedotowsky said that she “received some criticism” for rescuing Russian strays since there are already so many homeless animals in the U.S.

However, as she told KABC via ABC News, “If you saw what I saw every day in Sochi, you would have brought back one too.”

Both rescued dogs have gone through their first veterinary exams in the U.S. Sochi has been diagnosed with canine parvovirus and Adler has a cough that will require close monitoring. The pair will be receiving medical treatment from the foundation’s veterinary experts and have entered their quarantine period, which will last between two to four weeks.

Adler is still awaiting an adopter, however once Sochi recovers, he may soon find a home with Amanda Bird, marketing and communications director for the USA bobsled and skeleton team, and her husband.

If you are interested in helping dogs like Sochi and Adler, consider making a donation to the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation here and find how you can help save (and adopt) Sochi strays right here.

Image source: Jason Debus Heigl Foundation