War Zone Animal Rescue Pickup for Winter

The creator of the idyllic Open Yard/Dog Pod concept Dog Sanctuary for Frontline Rescues in rural Odesa, Ukraine is visionary and all-round ‘GI Jane’ for animals, architect-turned-animal rescuer, Krystina.

For over 900 days, Krystina has rescued the pets left behind during evacuations with both national and international NGO Animal Rescue Teams such as UAnimals (Ukraine), 12 Vartovykh (Ukraine), Worldwide Vets (UK), Veterinaries without Borders (Canada) and the Ukraine War Animals Relief

Fund UWARF (USA), and was filmed over a period of 2 years for the soon to be released documentary film about saving the pets caught in the crossfire, “WAR TAILS.”

It was at the London Preview of WAR TAILS that I met this remarkable woman, still limping from being hit by shrapnel, less than 5 months after being infected with rabies from getting dog slobber in her eye.

On stage, Krystina explained the need for a nationwide co-ordinated Sterilization and Vaccination campaign of 450,000 animals over the next 5 years to prevent the government from ordering a mass culling (just like the one happening in Turkey right now), and the Dog Sanctuary’s need for a 4x4.

The Mission

Less than a month after an incident (see Backstory below) that could have been fatal, in June 2024, Krystina made a flying visit to the London Preview of the documentary produced by Dan Fine, an old friend of mine. Soon to be released, it’s called “WAR TAILS.”

The event was hosted by Dominic Dyer and Peter Egan (pictured with Krystina) was on the panel. Anyone involved in animal welfare issues knows who they are.

During the Q & A session, when asked what the greatest need for her Dog Sanctuary was, apart from access to mains power, feed and running water (BTW if anyone reading this knows a drilling company that could sink a well to 100m (300ft), pro bono, please could you get in touch with me), she answered: “a 4x4"

Wartails Documentary Trailer featuring Krystina https://youtu.be/i_-rNAq0oF0

So, in October 2024, I would like to drive a reliable pickup truck from the UK and hand it over to Krystina during the planned Sterilization and Vaccination Mission in Kherson, Ukraine, where enemy drones from across the river are targeting civilians, civilian vehicles and animal rescuers (which is why the pickup must be reliable).

The Backstory

A missile hits her family’s house, hurling the dog in the yard against the wall which then collapses.

Barely able to breathe, she wriggles, scrapes at the dirt with her front paws, and with one final heave, manages to free herself. Shaking the dust and dirt from her coat, she looks towards the back door of the house, but it’s not there anymore. Smoke billows from the gaping hole. She turns to run down the driveway, but a sudden jerk to the neck pulls her to a halt. She pulls and pulls until her neck is bruised and bleeding, but there’s no escaping the heavy chain.

Night turns into day and back again. Still chained to her kennel, through sunken, cloudy eyes, she sees the dappled sky fade once again to dusk, then dark. Weak with thirst and hunger, the end is near…when suddenly, out of the pitch black, two specks of light appear.

A van pulls up close by, parks under a tree, engine idling. A tall woman jumps out, crouches, keeping her head ducked she runs into the yard where the dog is trapped and drops to her knees, knife in hand…

Over the hum of the engine, a higher pitched hum., an enemy drone hunting civilians! It hovers menacingly over the clearly marked, white animal rescue van parked under the trees. Krystina frees the dog and clutching her to her chest, makes a dash for it towards the van. And then it happens, a barrage of rockets from a Multiple Launch Rocket System. Krystina throws her body over the dog to protect her as shrapnel tears through her leg.

More on both the dog slobber and shrapnel injury incidents;

https://wunderdogmagazine.com/rescue/new-documentary-war-tails-chronicles-the-ukraine-war- animal-relief-funds-work/