Oksana, 50, has fled Ukraine and left everything behind. But not her dog Potap, Ukrainian for potato. Together it took them six days to arrive in Roosendaal, where they were welcomed with open arms by Jos Uijtdehaag (60). Then he immediately called the vet to have Potap vaccinated against rabies.
“In Ukraine, there are still about five hundred to a thousand cases of rabies a year. The last thing you want is an outbreak here,” says veterinarian Marnix Snijders.
Jos had known Oksana for 2.5 years through a dating site. “Of course I think it’s very nice that she lives with me now, but the reason why I think is terrible,” he says. Jos says that Oksana’s dog actually belongs to her son. Because he is a soldier and had to stay in Ukraine, Oksana took the dog to the Netherlands.
“At the moment there is a great need for shelter for the escaped pets,” says Niels Kalkman of the Animal Protection Society. He says that about 4000 people have currently signed up for the shelter of refugee animals such as Potap.
Niels hears daily stories of Ukrainian refugees with their pets. “For most, their pet is the only tangible thing they have of their homeland,” he says. The refugees sometimes spend days with their animal in a car or bus. The animals sometimes arrive malnourished and sick. “It’s important to treat the animals as soon as possible,” he says.