Spring: the season of joyous re-birth, this year accompanies horrific war, with terror, death and destruction in Ukraine. The images are all around us – cruelty toward people, their homes, their security, plans and dreams.
But “War is hell” for innocent, defenseless animals
too.
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| Liza HSUS image |
Since the invasion of Ukraine began, animal mentions and sightings have been few. And painful. Fleeing from their country, two people carried their cats with them – one nestled inside a coat, while the other was inside a carrier. No mention of food and water – these pet lovers must have trusted those necessities of life would be available once they reached safety.
Of the two dogs I saw, the first was barking from
inside a pet carrier in the street. A
woman and her two children had taken their pet with them in a desperate rush to
escape. They were killed; the dog lived,
at least until that moment.
I saw the second dog from a distance, crossing a
street. (Had he too lost his
people? Where was he going? Was he moving blindly away from his last
trauma and toward the inevitable next
one?)
What in the world is happening to animals in this
besieged country? What do they think is
going on? How panicked are they? How many of them were left behind in hopes
they’d be more safe staying where they were?
Domestic animals count on people in the best of times,
and even moreso in the worst.
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| Bonifacio HSUS image |
Then there are zoo animals, no doubt terrified if not already dead. And those in shelters, by definition intended to care for them -- what about those poor creatures? Reported by Humane Society International (HSI), three volunteers were killed trying to deliver food to shelter animals who had been without it for days.
I was reminded of the novel I read recently, about a
young Asian elephant, Violet, newly arrived, then trapped in the Belfast,
Ireland zoo during World War 2. That
alone was upsetting enough, but then came the sounds of war as the German blitz
began in the city and moved ever closer.
With “true grit,” the young woman-keeper of Violet managed
to move her out of the zoo to safety. But of course, most all of that was fiction. (The Elephant of Belfast, by S. Kirk
Walsh)
To help Ukraine’s animals during these desperate
times, simply google “How to help Ukraine animals,” then sit back and choose
your charity. (You may be amazed at the
number of helping organizations.)
https://www.thedodo.com/daily-dodo/man-helps-ukrainian-refugee-families-and-their-dogs-stay-together
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| Ukranian dog (name unknown) HSUS image |
As for Ukraine’s European neighbors, they’re also involved. Connecting with animal welfare groups in Germany, Italy and Poland, HSI reported on their efforts to help Ukraine’s animals, including those whose families took them when they fled. The Romanian Red cross and Berlin’s aid station were among those cited.
“Animals do not go to war, but they
are too often among its victims,” said one official, on the terrible, and
wholly unfair, reality of this situation.
Occasionally in this blog, I’ve tried to recognize “heroes for animals” – those who work, unstintingly “above and beyond,” for animal welfare. Wherever they are around the world, such animal advocates are simply wonderful. Right now, though, Ukrainians go still further by saving lives while under fire, often at risk of their own lives.
Heroes all.
Spring. Despite the awfulness happening in our world right now -- and even because of it -- we need to think of, and savor, spring. It’s beautiful but brief, and it inspires . . . hope! https://tinyurl.com/2p8679vb
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