For those individuals not from Ukraine but living there during the invasion, getting home has been a struggle in itself.
One man, Rishabh Kaushik, is a software engineering student who was studying at the Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics Engineering when the war started.
But he wasn’t alone.
He decided to return to India.
Unfortunately for Kaushik, travel was very difficult due to the fact that he had a rescue dog that he wanted to travel with.
There are many restrictions when it comes to travel to and from Ukraine right now and many individuals have been left with the unthinkable decision of leaving their pets behind as they flee to neighboring countries for safety.
The fate of their animals is uncertain if they leave them behind.
Kaushik was determined not the leave his dog Maliboo behind when he decided to return to his home in India.
Flying restrictions made that difficult.
The government was requiring paperwork from Kaushik that he was unable to acquire due to all of the closures in Ukraine.
He didn’t give up, however, and kept fighting for his beloved pup.
In a YouTube video that Kaushik put out in hopes to gain support in his situation, he said this:
“Even my dog is so stressed out about it. He’s really scared about all the bombings happening, and he’s crying all the time with all the bombings happening around.”
Animals lovers unite.
Luckily for Kaushik, his video racked up plenty of views and even caught the attention of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, better known as PETA.
They reached out to India and were able to make restrictions on pet travel more lenient in this trying time.
Kaushik said this, “There was a lot of documentation in India, the procedure was long. But in war-like situations, they should’ve allowed their own citizens. So, I had put up the appeal. A memorandum had come recently which stated that pets and even strays are now being allowed without NOC.”
A necessary change
After lots of phone calls and endless debate, Kaushik was finally able to return home with his dog Maliboo and seek refuge with his family in India.
It can’t be stressed enough how important our pets are to us.
They are more than just animals.
They become a part of the family very quickly and often become one of our best friends.
To have them by our sides is especially important during tough times because they provide a level of comfort that few other things can.
A big win
Due to Kaushik’s persistence, he was able to keep his dog by his side and we couldn’t be happier for the two of them!
See Kaushik’s plea to help him get Maliboo home safely in the video below!
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