Polish Charity Workers Are Risking Their Lives to Rescue Animals Across the Ukraine Border

“We are sending convoys to Ukraine every day.”

Damjan

• Published in Animal Stories
• June 13, 2022

As the crisis in Ukraine continues to destroy the country, lives are being torn apart by the violence. Many people have made significant sacrifices to bring their beloved pets with them as they flee to safer land.

Others, though, have not been so fortunate. As a result, some animals have been left stranded amid pandemonium.

Despite the dire circumstances, brave volunteers and vets are risking their lives to ensure the well-being of these animals. Many Polish charity workers have dedicated their lives to rescuing these helpless animals from unsafe conditions on the Ukrainian side of the border.

They're also looking for pets who have been separated from their owners until they can be reunited with them in a safe area. “It hurts me so much to see these animals suffering, and people sometimes forget about pets at times of war which I suppose is a natural consequence,” says Konrad Kuzminski, CEO of the Polish animal rescue service Dioz.

Kuzminski and his Dioz teammates have saved over 100 animals since the battle erupted a few weeks ago, including dogs, cats, hamsters, rabbits, and even a few reptiles. The refuge, which is located near the Ukrainian border, has been swamped with frantic calls for assistance from Ukrainian people fleeing the country.

Dioz, an animal rescue from Poland is helping animals from Ukraine

Polish charity workers have dedicated themselves to rescuing vulnerable animals from dangerous conditions across the Ukraine border.

“Last weekend I had a call from a guy who was in Ukraine, and he said he was living on his own but had a dog and he wanted us to look after it because he was going to fight the Russians,” Kuzminski shares. “We arranged to meet just over the border, and he was in tears as he handed his dog over to me, but I said we would look after him and he could collect him when all this was over.”

They’re also taking care of pets who’ve had to be left behind

“Last weekend I had a call from a guy who was in Ukraine, and he said he was living on his own but had a dog and he wanted us to look after it because he was going to fight the Russians,” one of the vets shares.

Kuzminski and his colleagues have been working around the clock to safeguard the protection of animals who have been left to face the hazards of war. After his efforts kept him out past the statutory curfew, he was forced to spend some nights in his rescue van.

No other Polish organization is working as hard as us to save animals and pets,” Kuzminski relates. “We are sending convoys to Ukraine every day.”

“It hurts me so much to see these animals suffering," says Konrad Kuzminski, CEO of the Polish animal rescue service Dioz

"People sometimes forget about pets at times of war which I suppose is a natural consequence," he adds.

Dr. Radoslaw Fedaczynski, a veterinarian from the ADA Animal Clinic is working closely with Kuzminski

Dr. Radoslaw Fedaczynski, an ADA Animal Clinic veterinarian who specializes in canine and cat disorders, is one of Kuzminski's closest associates. Fedaczynski and other brave veterinarians are on hand to look after the animals' health and help them recover from any injuries they may have incurred prior to their rescue.

Despite Kuzminski and his team's best efforts, some of the animals are beyond help by the time they're rescued.

“It’s very distressing for all of us working with the animals—we want to help them but, in this case, we have no choice,” Fedaczynski explains. “Some of the dogs and animals we get are so weak and undernourished that there is nothing we can do for them. It’s very distressing.”

He specializes in dog and cat illnesses.

Fedaczynski and other brave vets are there to care for the animals’ health.

They also help their recovery from injuries they have sustained before their rescues.

But sometimes it is not enough

“It’s very distressing for all of us working with the animals," Fedaczynski says

“Some of the dogs and animals we get are so weak and undernourished there is nothing we can do for them," he explains.

Animals that recover from effective treatment are placed for adoption, and pets that have been relinquished by their owners are cared for until they may be safely reunited. Many have suffered significant trauma, and due to the high number of animals in the organization's care, the majority of them spend much of their time confined to crates and cages.

However, thanks to Kuzminski's efforts, as well as those of his rescue crew and the veterinarians who work alongside Fedaczynski, these creatures will be able to heal and recuperate in a safe environment. The ADA Foundation and the Dioz animal charity are collaborating closely to protect the health and safety of these animals, and they are seeking donations to help fund their life-saving efforts.

Damjan