9-Year-Old Boy Paints Custom Pet Portraits In Exchange For Supplies Needed At Shelter

Some of our youngest members of the group have the most generous hearts and can teach us a great deal about giving.

Pavel Abramove, a 9-year-old child from Arzamas, Russia, took it upon himself to assist collect supplies for an animal sanctuary using his natural abilities. As a gifted artist, he began painting personalized pet pictures in exchange for food, medicine, and other necessities for the shelter.

He is an animal lover who determined to do something after his family lost their pet. Because seeing stray animals suffer hurt his heart, he and his mother, Ekateriana Bolshakova, started the Kind Paintbrush Project about a year ago.

They’ve also been running a Facebook page called “What a Little Volunteer is Capable Of.” The group supports the idea that a child has the power to make a significant difference in the world. Mom and son don’t get paid for their charity work, and they don’t have any managers or employees; it’s just them, their customers, and the animals they serve.

How does the program work?

Pavel works with pet owners to create bespoke pet portraits in exchange for food, medicine, and other supplies for the shelter. He likes to visit the pet he painted after completing the painting to discover more about the animal and how it came to live with the owner. His initiative has gotten a lot of positive feedback from animal lovers all across the world. Customers from as far afield as Germany and Spain have placed orders with him.

The shelter is Arzamas’ only one, and it houses over 100 dogs. Pavel is the organization’s newest volunteer. Among the portraits he created are:

This is a picture of Chuck, a cat that was traded for dog food, buckwheat, and bandages.

Ksyusha’s portrait was eschanged for canned dog food, buckwheat, some medicines, and bandages.

Jesse was exchanged for offal and buckwheat.

A painting of Tuzik, Rex, Lusya and Keks was exchanged for canned beef, milk, cereal, dry food and some trimmings.