"Pets calm and distract from bad moments."
John—

Yurii was forced to flee his home in the east of Ukraine and sought refuge in Dnipro. Many shelters don't allow animals, so he and a group of people at a center for internally displaced people faced a question hard to answer: Could they come up with a solution for beloved pets to stay with their families?
 
Read more about the animal shelter that Yurii manages here »
 
A smiling white man in a black tshirt is holding an orange striped cat in his arms.
Yurii with his cat, Ryzhyk, at the Collective Center for Internally Displaced People, which also serves as an animal shelter.

​​Yurii himself had to leave his cat behind with relatives when he fled, and was glad to adopt and care for another cat in the center. Yurii said, "Pets calm and distract from bad moments."

Click here to read more stories about refugee and displaced communities coming together.
 
A white woman with short blond hair smiles as she pets a brown and black dog with both hands.
 
Nataliia, is an IRC case worker at the Collective Center for Internally Displaced People. This center is notable because they allowed people to bring their pets with them. 💛

The IRC has been on the ground in Ukraine since 2022.

Our teams provide psychosocial support and legal advice for the residents at the center, as well as specialized support for the elderly residents who live there. We have also distributed hygiene kits.

Thank you. Your support brings hope and relief to families facing the most challenging circumstances.

International Rescue Committee 💛

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