NESCONSET, N.Y. (WCBS 880) — A Long Island-based organization is helping Ukrainian refugees who are crossing the border with pets.
Paws of War, which for a decade has been assisting military members and their pets, has been supporting the volunteer effort at the Ukraine-Poland border providing much-needed relief to animals fleeing the war with the owners.
"I would say on an average about 700 to 800 animals are coming through within a 48-hour period," said president and co-founder Robert Misseri. "They are exhausted, they're dehydrated, people of course are afraid, scared and the animals don't know what's going on."
Refugees are crossing the border not just with cats and dogs.
"We have bunny rabbits, we had a little 11-year-old girl walk in with a goldfish, so everything is coming through the border," Misseri said. "It's really heartbreaking."
The pets are getting food, water, toys, leashes, proper carriers and vaccines, if needed.
Paws of War is also helping to provide care to dozens of dogs and cats that are being housed in a makeshift animal shelter at the border after some refugees made the decision to have their pet fostered or relocated.
With the humanitarian crisis growing, Paws of War is urgently seeking financial donations so volunteers can purchase the items overseas and get them to the border as soon as possible.
"Being a refugee with a pet makes everything 10 times harder," Misseri said. "We will do everything we can to help them.”
CLICK HERE to donate to the nonprofit's emergency relief mission.
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