Sarah Jones, a resident of Purcellville, Virginia, USA is working to raise money to keep stray animals in Armenia’s capital city of Yerevan warm and to find them suitable homes back in the US, Loudoun Now reported.

Having moved to Armenia in June, Jones, 41, is working with The Loudoun Pet Sitting Co. to help raise $16,000 to feed the 127 dogs at Armenia’s Pawsitive Rescue animal shelter, while also raising awareness that those dogs need homes in the US.

Jones said that dogs in Yerevan are often put out on the streets when their owners do not want them anymore and are stricken by the cold winter months and by cars running into them.

Since moving to Armenia this summer, Jones joined Pawsitive Rescue and recently started the Project Santa Paws campaign that she is hoping will raise enough money to provide two meals a day for the shelter’s dogs during the cold winter months. 

On the adoption side, Jones is working to inform Loudoun residents that they can also adopt an Armenian dog. Jones has raised close to $3,000 on her GoFundMe page, although there have yet to be any adoptions by Loudoun residents. Lysa Clemens, the owner and founder of The Loudoun Pet Sitting Co., said that she is spreading the word about the campaign to her clients and the region at large. Her company is also prepared to make a donation of up to $1,000.