The Russo-Ukrainian war has caused nothing but mayhem, uprooting the lives of millions. The senseless violence continues into the second month, multiple bits of news coming out of the warzone, sending shivers down spines, the disbelief mixed with utter shock and anger at the atrocities committed against innocents. But we remain strong and hopeful, for a day that ends the killings of those that never wanted war in the first place.
This is a story that we hope will repeat time and time again, soldiers coming back to their families, neighbors reuniting to rebuild their community, and many more pets finding their owners again. A lot of times, people have had to leave their companion animals behind, either for safety or travel reasons. But at least for one pup, the duration of separation wasn’t long and she got to see her human again. Let’s get into it.
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A beautiful husky is seen running, gaining speed when she sees someone she'd been missing
Image credits: Батальён Кастуся Каліноўскага
A heartwarming video showed the moment a pup reunited with her owner after the pair had been separated by escalating violence in Bucha, Ukraine, near the capital Kyiv. The husky, named Nessie, is seen running down the street, gaining speed when she sees a familiar face.
The war in Ukraine has separated many families and their pets, but this lucky dog was about to be reunited with hers
Image credits: Батальён Кастуся Каліноўскага
After weeks apart, Nessie and her owner are reunited, the dog crying out in happiness, unable to keep her excitement at bay
Image credits: Батальён Кастуся Каліноўскага
The dog cannot contain her excitement, bawling with joy, jumping and licking at the owner, her tail wagging back and forth without control.
The pup then runs around him, all the while crying out, almost trying her best to tell her human the whole story. The man is smiling widely throughout the meeting, petting the puppy continuously, until the puppy cannot contain the excitement anymore and runs in circles again.
Image credits: Батальён Кастуся Каліноўскага
Image credits: Батальён Кастуся Каліноўскага
Image credits: Батальён Кастуся Каліноўскага
The pup was found by The Kastus Kalinouski Battalion, a group of Belarussian soldiers volunteering in Ukraine
Image credits: Батальён Кастуся Каліноўскага
The Kastus Kalinouski Battalion, a group of Belarussian soldiers volunteering in Ukraine, were fighting Russian forces in Bucha. After the relentless month-long fight, Ukraine was victorious in taking the town back. Alongside the carnage, the soldiers found Nessie wandering the streets alone and they couldn’t leave her behind. It seemed that the animal got separated from her owner a few weeks ago, amid attacks from Russian forces. The soldiers took the dog and kept her safe until they found her owner.
They posted the video of their reunion on the group’s Facebook page, the caption saying: “A little positive in these difficult times. During Bucha's release we found Nessie, the dog that was left alone. But thanks to our friends, we found her owners and today she returned to them.” They ended their statement saying they not only fight for the lives of people, but also for each and every animal.
They'd found the dog wandering the streets of recently occupied Bucha and they couldn't leave her there among the carnage
Image credits: Батальён Кастуся Каліноўскага
It's incredibly difficult to imagine what they all went through, yet this moment of wholesomeness gives us hope
Image credits: Батальён Кастуся Каліноўскага
As happy as this moment is, it is difficult to imagine what they’ve gone through, with the owners scared for their beloved pet and the dog alone to experience potentially the most stressful events of her life.
A little while ago, Bored Panda looked into the way war affects animals, getting insight from Erica N. Feuerbacher, an Associate Professor in Applied Animal Behavior & Welfare at Virginia Tech College, who explained the ways pets react to changes in their lives, how to identify the symptoms of PTSD in animals and what to do to make the healing of the pup as quick and easy as possible.
You can find the article here, if you’d like to have a more in-depth read.
It may be a difficult road ahead, but as the owner shakes the hand of one of the Battalion's soldiers, things are well
Image credits: Батальён Кастуся Каліноўскага
The owner shakes hands with a member of the battalion who helped reunite them and the video ends with a video call to what seems to be the man's wife, clearly very happy to see the dog healthy.
Considering the harrowing sights that awaited the soldiers in Bucha, one thing is for certain - innocent people are suffering at the hands of war
Image credits: Батальён Кастуся Каліноўскага
The news of what the Ukrainian soldiers found after the Russians had occupied and fled Bucha is not for the faint of heart, the images painting a very gruesome picture, where neither mercy, nor humanity of any level was shown. Russians have been accused of war crimes including torture, murder and rape. Ukrainian officials have claimed to have found the bodies of at least 410 civilians in Bucha and other nearby towns after Russian forces retreated and, of course, the Kremlin denied the accusations.
Regardless of the words said, a picture says many more. And of course, having studied Propaganda and the way it is used, of course one could argue that the pictures might be fictitious, the videos staged, this all being one huge play to paint either party in different lights. All this is being said by the Kremlin with regards to the findings in Bucha. However, there comes a point where you have to decide on the facts and one thing is obvious - innocent people are suffering and dying at the hands of the aggressor.
As a destroyed tank lays in the ruins, we are thrown into a world of suffering, loss and death
Image credits: Батальён Кастуся Каліноўскага
CNN reported on an uncovered Russian torture chamber located inside a children's hospital that was also being used as barracks for the soldiers. The bodies of five men were found shot dead in the basement, a spokesman said, with their hands tied behind their backs and some with evidence of prior torture.
Claims of this extent are difficult to fathom, yet are not surprising either. We’ve looked at the psychology of war, when we were discussing the fact that zoos were getting attacked, for seemingly no reason.
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There is no such thing as ‘no reason’ in war, and to I’d like to use Stefan Vetter’s insights into the issue: “With the cognitive shift, we believe that the real problem began with an act of will on the side of the enemy and it can be solved only by breaking his will or by making him helpless. What better way to let him feel this than by using torture?”
This can be applied to either side, each finding their reasons to fight, using torture on people and animals, who are not able to fight back.
At least one family got to be reunited, but how many are going to have the same luck?
Image credits: Батальён Кастуся Каліноўскага
Over 4.5M people have become refugees in neighboring countries, having fled their homes in search of safety. We can only begin to imagine the physical and emotional struggle each Ukrainian citizen has and is going through at present, so here is a list of resources to help in any way we can.
It is easy to become used to the horrid news coming out, it becoming a sad reality, whilst we continue to live our daily lives. However, we must not become apathetic to the events that are, sadly, ongoing. If you’d like a comprehensive summary of some of the most recent heartbreaking and touching moments, here is a list.
We hope the best for Nessie and her owners, as well as all those who have fled or remain in Ukraine
Image credits: Батальён Кастуся Каліноўскага
We are incredibly happy for Nessie and her owners, that they were able to have a moment of joy amid the war. We hope they are able to flee to safety together and are able to live out their lives to their fullest, making many more happy memories in the process.
You can watch the full video of their reunion here
We’d love to know your thoughts, so leave them in the comments below. I hope you have a safe day and I wish you all strength.
People have enjoyed this small silver lining among the other more depressing news. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments
