00:00More than four years into the war in Ukraine, these two vets are still going back for the animals left
00:06behind.
00:11We first shared their story years ago, and while so much attention has moved on, Valentina and Leonid never did.
00:19We go to the area where very, very active military struggle.
00:27When the war began, they chose to stay in the war zone. Families were fleeing, people were being called to
00:34service, and so many pets and animals had nowhere to go.
00:39So this couple started taking them in.
00:42This is how our nights look like. Almost each day you have something like this.
00:51Because they're vets, they could do so much more than just rescue animals.
00:56They could treat them, feed them, find them shelter, and help so many other local shelters get the supplies they
01:03needed.
01:04What started out as emergency rescue slowly became their entire life, and years later, the work still continues.
01:14We've been hoping to get a full update from them, but even connecting right now has been hard.
01:21But we have gotten glimpses of them and know that they are okay and still helping.
01:29They still travel into dangerous areas when animals need help.
01:34Sometimes that means rescuing dogs and cats who were left behind.
01:38Other times it means animals you would never expect to see in the middle of a war zone.
01:43But no matter how far or dangerous, they keep trying to reach the ones who are still waiting.
01:49Eventually, they built a sanctuary for the animals that had nowhere else to go.
01:54But even that place hasn't been untouched by the war.
01:58At one point, a rocket hit their farm.
02:02And even after all that, they still kept going.
02:08That's what really stays with me about their story.
02:11Even after years of loss and exhaustion, they still choose to protect life whenever they can.
02:21Rescuing animals for them isn't separate from surviving the war.
02:26It's one of the ways they keep going through it.
02:30Valentina and Leonid are still caring for animals every single day, and donations help them continue.
02:35Actually, during this year, we saved a lot of different animals and 50.
02:40Many, many thousands.
02:41Yeah.
02:41Just know, without your support, our work here will be not impossible.
02:46They help cover food, medicine, rescues, and the sanctuary that these animals now depend on.
02:55More than four years later, they are still there, still rescuing, still treating,
03:00and still proving that even in the middle of the war, there are people choosing to show up for every
03:07life they can.
03:08Good luck.
03:10Good luck.
03:12I'm the only one Christian.
03:12I'm the only a Christian.
03:13I'm the only.
03:14Some of them are still there.
03:14I'm not even more nervous.
03:14I guess the answer to the point in the beginning of the year,
03:16I'm the only one of them.
03:17I'm late for a long time, thank you,
03:17I'm the only one of them.
03:19I'm the only a teacher that's gonna be able to do so much and appreciate it so much further.
03:19You
Comments