Ukraine Diary
Animal Rescue
One man steps up
Editor’s Note: In February, Working Nurse launched The Zhytomyr Hospital Challenge to purchase medical equipment for a hospital in Ukraine. This fundraising campaign was a huge success. In June, Olena Svetlov and I traveled to Ukraine to complete our mission.
I share excerpts from my journal in this Ukraine Diary online series.
During this trip, I’m coming to better understand how different individuals respond to the stress of war. While some people flee (like a young Ukrainian man working in a cafe in the Warsaw airport, who told us he will return when the war is over), others rise to the occasion with extraordinary bravery, willingly taking on immense challenges.
One such person is Oleg from Kherson. Oleg, a postal letter carrier who also works a host of odd jobs, has made it his mission to rescue displaced cats and dogs.
Last year, the Russian army intentionally bombed a nearby dam, flooding the city of Kherson. In an especially cruel move, Russian soldiers refused to allow citizens to release cats and dogs trapped in cages at the local animal shelter. Tragically, all the animals drowned and the shelter managers were forced to evacuate.
Stray dogs and cats had no place to go, so Oleg took it upon himself to round them up and bring them to the modest, makeshift rescue he’s set up in his home. He currently has 15 dogs and 19 cats. Despite working multiple jobs, he has been singularly devoted to the animals’ care, although he struggles to afford their food.
We used some of our charity funds to purchase six months’ worth of dog and cat food for Oleg’s rescue. When we told him the good news over the Viber app, he started to weep. I believe that one moment crystalized the entire purpose of this project.
Other Ukraine Diary entries:
Visiting Zhytomyr Hospital
Planes, Trains, and Eight Stuffed Suitcases
Resistance at the Kyiv Museum of History
Air Sirens and Bomb Shelters
First Aid Kits for Police Officers
Bucha
The Ballet Studio
The story from the Feb. 21 issue that launched The Zhytomyr Hospital Challenge.
