By Rostyslav Averchuk
Kharkiv, Ukraine (EFE).- In the war-torn city of Kharkiv, hundreds of cats rescued from the frontline are rehabilitated at the “Little Prince” shelter, where they not only wait for new homes but also take part in “therapy” sessions for soldiers and children.
“This is about mutual help. Cats help people, and people help cats,” says Yaryna Vintoniuk, a representative of Animal Rescue Kharkiv, the organization that oversees the shelter.
Helping each other
The shelter occupies several spacious rooms on the ground floor of a residential building. Inside, cats nap on sofas and pillows, perch on custom-built shelves, or bask in the sun from small enclosures by the windows. They eagerly respond to affection.
“We see how interaction with people helps them recover, regain trust, and rediscover their will to live,” Vintoniuk emphasizes.
The shelter houses large aquariums with rescued fish, brought from a pet shop in Kostyantynivka, Donetsk, during a complex rescue operation by the shop’s owner, Olena Yakovlieva, who now runs the Little Prince shelter.
“We are forever responsible for what we have tamed,” says Yakovlieva, quoting Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s “The Little Prince.”
About 90 percent of the rescued cats were once domestic pets, either frightened away by explosions or abandoned during hurried evacuations from frontline villages and towns under Russian attack.
Some, like Hamlet, a stray cat shot by a bullet, sought human help on their own. Others, like five kittens, were brought by soldiers leaving for the front lines or by displaced owners who had nowhere else to leave them.
Recovering together
The stronger the bond with their former owners, the harder it is for the cats to adapt. Some, despite all efforts, do not survive.
“Many arrive scared and depressed. Some refuse to eat and drink,” said Vintoniuk. “Our task, beyond medical care at our clinic, is to restore their belief that they are needed and will find new families.”
Some cats take days just to leave the corner they retreat to when they arrive.
“It takes time and a lot of attention and affection to help them”, said Oksana, one of the shelter’s caretakers, as she gently strokes a cat. “You need to be gentle, present, and talk to them.”
Nastia, a cat who arrived with part of her skull shattered by an explosion, was on the brink of death. She was saved by veterinarian Diana Galilova, who promised to adopt her if she survived.
“Diana poured all her effort into saving Nastia, and it seems Nastia fought just as hard to be adopted by her,” Vintoniuk recounted.
Not only did Nastia survive, she later helped another cat, Ice Cream, who had lost both front paws, by cuddling and comforting him during his recovery.
The value of life
For Vintoniuk, whose 42-year-old uncle, a devoted animal lover, was killed on the frontline in January, the suffering caused by the war has only deepened her appreciation for every life.
She is especially moved by the bravery of soldiers who rescue animals under shelling.
“Every day is a battle to preserve our humanity,” Vintoniuk said It is soldiers who frequently initiate rescue of cats, dogs and other animals, many of whom find shelter and love in the trenches.
The soldiers care for newborn kittens, find ways to transport them to safety, and treat animals as companions who share their darkest days.
Finding support
As the cats settle into the shelter, many begin to seek affection, as if sensing when someone comes to adopt them.
But adoption within Kharkiv is difficult due to the ongoing Russian attacks, making international support vital.
Many of the cats are adopted abroad, and funding from European organizations keeps the shelter running.
However, with some aid set to expire, and Russian advances triggering new waves of evacuations, demand is only growing. The shelter rescues around 7,000 animals a year. “Our need for support has never been greater,” Vintoniuk said. EFE
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