The things we do for the ones we love, right?
For many people, the list of those we love includes pets.
From the start of the crisis in Ukraine, after they’ve been invaded by Russia, citizens have been making headlines because of their unconditional love for their pets, even when they’re escaping their country to save themselves from the horrors of war.
Among those people is this brave woman-people are praising the compassion she showed for her dog as she carried him to the Ukraine border with Poland.
Woman Flees Ukraine Carrying Her German Shepherd on Her Shoulders
The woman is 35-year-old Alisa Teptiuk and she’s already been through a lot, even before the invasion started. She lost her dad on February 23rd and on the next day, Russia started the attack.
In the middle of grief and arrangements for her dad’s body, she had to pick up everything she could in a bag or two and get out of the country as the forces of Russia closed in.
She explains that many people were leaving Kyiv and she and her husband were trying to resolve the funeral documents from all over the city so that they can bury her dad.
Teptiuk is a Python programmer working for a company from Germany so she got help from her employer in the arrangements for her to get to Poland.
Together with her husband and seven other relatives, as well as two big dogs, they loaded their lives in a small Peugeot 307 and took on the 100-mile journey to the border with Poland.
They drove for 16 hours and stopped in a village with just over 10 miles left to the border. However, they left the village in the morning as it was dangerous.
Close to the border, there were plenty of cars and they couldn’t remain in the car for the following three or five days so they made a decision to walk the last 10 miles.
They Decide to Walk the Last 10 Miles to Reach the Polish Border
They left at 4am and it was minus seven degrees. They had a hard time walking around mountains and rivers. Her kids were crying because of the cold weather and she also wanted to cry, but knew she mustn’t give up because her goal was to reach the border.
One of the two dogs started struggling too. The 12-year-old German Shepherd named Pulya had difficulty walking and would even fall occasionally without being capable of getting back up.
Teptiuk stopped and asked passing cars for help, but most of them already had occupants and couldn’t accommodate them all. They told them to leave the dogs behind, but this wasn’t an option for her and her family.
Pulya is their family and she’s old and grey after spending her life with them. They took her in when it was Teptiuk’s first day of her maternity leave and the dog had four months back then.
This dog has been with them through the happiest and saddest moments of their lives and understands and loves them unconditionally.
They love her a lot and want to ensure she’s always safe and cared for. No one could make them leave her behind. This wasn’t something they thought about, not even for a second.
Teptiuk & Her Husband Take Turns Carrying Sweet Pulya on a 10-Mile Trek to the Border
Teptiuk and her husband agreed to take turns carrying Pulya until they reach the border. Images of their heroic act went viral after it was shared online and it’s already been liked on Twitter more than 30,000 times.
The family reached the border safely and Pulya was there too. However, Teptiuk notes how the problems aren’t finished for them because many of their friends remain in Ukraine, in Kyiv.
Sadly, her husband Dmytro wasn’t allowed to cross the border because of Ukraine’s mobilization order (men between the ages of 18 and 60) are prevented to leave the country.
He went back to care for his mom and grandma.
Her dogs, her mom, the kids, and her sister are together and away from the war zone; unfortunately, life is still full of uncertainties for them due to having so many people they care for back in their home country.
Sources:
