It is not only people who need help during war. Many animals have become homeless, having experienced bombardments and fled from the occupied territories. They also deserve attention. However, most of them need a new home and a loving family. We have collected stories about animals which had the good fortune to get just that from people with big hearts.
A burned cat that has been rescued from the rubble
It is not for nothing that this cat was given the name ‘Phoenix’ since it was miraculously found alive (although burned) under the rubble in the village of Andriivka in the Kyiv oblast. The little cat’s ears and whiskers had been burned, its paw had also been injured. Plus, Phoenix was obviously in shock after everything that it had happened. The photo with the cat went viral on social networks. However, nobody was willing to offer shelter to the cat.
Phoenix was found and rescued by Volodymyr Kryzhanivsky, the founder of the company Pethouse who took himself to Andriivka to take the cat with him. Volodymyr took three cats from the village including Phoenix. However, at first he did not recognize the cat he had seen in the photo before. Phoenix was identified by vets who said that its wounds matched the ones that belonged to the cat in the photo. He underwent treatment at a hospital. Phoenix was lucky to have neither turned blind nor deaf (although relevant rumors were circulating). He found a new family. The cat is now living at the Pethouse office. Subscribers to the company’s pages on social networks are regularly informed of Phoenix’s rehabilitation through posts. Based on them one may assume that the cat is happy and is quickly recovering.
The enemy’s Belgian Shepherd is now serving with the National Guards
A striking contrast between our and Russian soldiers may not only be spotted in battle. This Belgian Shepherd was abandoned by Russian occupants in a village that they had previously occupied.
The is a beautiful and strong 3-year-old fighting dog on top of its physical form. Its collar reads ‚Defender‘ in Russian. Apparently, for Russians it was much more important to take frying pans, kettles and telephones with them than their four-legged defender. The dog with the nickname ‚Max‘ is now serving with the National Guards in the city of Mykolayiv. Ukrainian fighters were happy to welcome the dog. According to a Ukrainian handler, Max knows basic commands in Russian. The dog is now being trained to respond to commands in Ukrainian. The new member of the Guards has the chance to avenge those who abandoned him by faithfully serving Ukrainian troops.
A cat with red fur from Bucha that has become a star on the internet
The photo of this fluffy cat with the destroyed military equipment and buildings in the background went viral on the internet like lightning. The reason for this was the amount of attention devoted to the cat by journalists. The photo has symbolized not only the fact that life goes on, it has also given rise to a great many memes.
The thing that really deserves our attention is the story of how this cat has actually been rescued. The organization ‚Zoopatrol‘ was informed of the existence of this cat. However, only one patrolman, Dmytro, was in the vicinity at that time. Dmytro is allergic to fur and he is not directly responsible for rescuing animals. He only operates drones. Nevertheless, he could not leave the cat in the lurch, so he took it into his hands and waited for his colleagues to come. Dmytro knew he would eventually be faced with the allergy related consequences of his deed, but he was resolved to save the cat. Thanks to this it is now safe and has found a new home.
A cat that has been rescued from a fire
The fate of this cat could have been totally different. However, it was decided right at the moment when it was found by firefighters of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. A fire broke out at a mall located in the Kyiv district of the city of Kharkiv. The cat was pulled out of a smokey building and immediately taken to fresh air. The fighters washed its face with water. You can watch the relevant video for yourself. Right after that the cat was taken by a fire truck to its new home – a fire station. It is firefighters who will be part of his new honorable family.
A police husky ‚Bucha’ from the eponymous town
Patrol officers made visits to the liberated town of Bucha to check on houses, cars and other buildings together with local residents. During one of these visits a husky was found amid broken glass in a car riddled with bullets fired by Russians. At first it seemed that the dog was dead. However, the patrol officer, Oleksandr Sydorenko, came closer and the dog responded to his voice by lifting its head. It was then fed and sent to a clinic. The dog turned out to be a healthy bitch, although a bit frightened.
At first the patrol officers considered an option of sending the dog to an animal shelter. However, Oleksandr, the officer who found it, could not let it happen. He consulted with his wife and the couple made a decision to take the dog to their home. They gave her the symbolic name ‚Bucha‘.
The cat ‚Bublyk’ that was abandoned in an apartment in Irpin
This is a story about a miracle and a stroke of luck. A family was evacuating the town of Irpin during shelling. They managed to take their dog with them but failed to find the cat that had gotten scared of explosions and had run away. As a result, the house where the family used to live was destroyed by bombs. After Irpin was liberated a family friend came to the apartment and called the cat without harboring any hopes to find it. And the cat did respond to the whistling! It was emaciated with its whiskers burned, but it was alive. After some time Bublyk reunited with his family.
Although this story is about people who did not have a choice, we call on you (if you do have a choice) not to abandon your pets at home alone for long periods of time. You should not be hoping that animals will somehow survive or that you will be back soon. Be close to those you love.
