Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war in their country are bringing their favorite pets with them as neighboring nations Romania, Poland and Hungary ease restrictions on the cross-border movement of animals.
According to the organization for the protection of animals People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (FIFTH), peacetime restrictions on the movement of pets across borders require cats and dogs to be vaccinated and chipped and to have a negative blood test for rabies.
However, testing for rabies antibodies through a blood test alone can take days or even weeks.
Three Eastern European nations that receive the majority of fleeing Ukrainians – Romania, Poland and Hungary – make exceptions for pets transported to safety in a safe place with their owners.
In Romania, the main veterinary authority in Bucharest has introduced an emergency exemption, suspending vaccination, microchip and documentation requirements – instead asking owners to fill out a form for their fluffy friends.
The border countries of Romania, Poland and Hungary have eased entry requirements for pets escorted by Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion. Pictured: A woman holding a dog in her coat while waiting for a bus in front of a train station in Lviv
Two young Ukrainian women manage to reach Tisabets, Hungary after crossing the border in a safe place with a dog companion
Pictured: Moroccan medical student flees Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, bringing his cats Stella and Santa Claus with him as he moves to Poland
Abdullah Elkobi, 21, said: “I love this country. I am so sad that it will be destroyed “while he and his cat companions headed for the Ukrainian border with Poland.
In Romania, however, there is a limit of five pets per person, and PETA Germany says it has received reports of pet owners refusing with their canine and feline accomplices, despite official statements.
The Polish and Hungarian authorities have followed suit in liberalizing the rules governing the entry of pets into their countries, temporarily removing strict vaccination, microchip and documentation requirements and replacing them with a single “transition form” to be completed by participants.
Abdullah Elkobi, 21, of Morocco, is studying medicine at a university in Ukraine, although he was forced to join the thousands of Ukrainians fleeing the nation as the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine heats up.
The 21-year-old future doctor was accompanied by his two cats, Stella and Santa Claus, as he waited in line to reach the Shehini border checkpoint for Poland.
Mr Elkoby told Reuters: “I love this country. I am so sad that it will be destroyed.
A Ukrainian refugee – among 200,000 who were forced to flee the country after the Russian invasion – carries a small dog under his arm when he arrives in Siret, Romania
A small dog accompanies a Ukrainian refugee as they arrive at the border crossing in Siret, Romania today
PETA Germany is coordinating the supply of 20,000 kg of dog and cat food to Ukraine, as well as blankets for pet owners and their companions who are still trapped in the military zone.
The PETA branch in the United Kingdom wrote a letter to George Justis, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on 25 February, asking for a relaxation of UK rules for Ukrainian refugees entering with pets.
The letter reads: “Border countries, including Hungary, Poland and Romania, are loosening their restrictions to make the process of adopting pets less bureaucratic, and we call on the United Kingdom to follow suit.
“A test for rabies antibodies through a blood test, which would be necessary for these animals to cross the border in accordance with all legal regulations, can take days or even weeks.
“As a result, many vulnerable animals are left without their guardians or other caring people, which will lead to a horrific and prolonged death.
“Please stand up for the animals in these exceptional circumstances and ensure that they can be taken to safety. They also need to be granted asylum and are vital to comfort fleeing, traumatized people in these terrible times.
“The people of the United Kingdom will be devastated if they are forced to abandon their beloved members of the animal family, and we must ensure that Ukrainians do not have to make this devastating choice either.”