The Compassionate People Who Rescue Left-Behind Pets in War Torn Kyiv, Ukraine

A powerful clip from the PBS Nature series Saving the Animals of Ukraine shows the incredible determination and compassion of Zoopatrul Ukraine, citizens who remain in Kyiv to rescue and care for the pets who were left behind when their humans fled the ongoing war. Their mission is to rescue every animal out there, even at their own risk.

In the midst of violence and war, Ukrainian citizens are coming together to rescue animals that have been left behind by those forced to flee. Witness a moving view into the effects of war on animals, and the humans who help them.

The Zoopatrul doesn’t let anything get in their way when there is an animal in need.

Zoopatrul was founded on the 3rd of March, exactly a week after the start of the war. ..We started freeing animals from abandoned apartments. Everyone thought we were robbers…At first our methods were barbaric, we smashe holes in the walls. The Zoopatrul volunteers were soon making smaller feeding holes by unscrewing the peep holes. Then they inserted a plastic tube to deliver food and water to the animal trapped inside.

The series premieres on May 15, 2024 on PBS and YouTube.