American Man Risks His Life To Help Rescue Animals From War-Torn Ukraine
Jeff Praul lives thousands of miles away from Ukraine, but that didn’t stop the young American man from risking his life to rescue animals trapped in the war zone.
“When Russia invaded Ukraine, that entire day my heart just felt heavy,” the 28-year-old Maryland resident told TODAY Parents. “I was just feeling like there was nothing I could do.”
But after hearing Ukraine’s president invite volunteers to join the resistance, Praul saw how he could help. “That flipped the switch in my mind,” he said. Within days, the American man had boarded a flight to Poland.
This young man’s mission, of course, also comes with great danger.
Shortly after crossing the border into Ukraine, Praul visited a Ukrainian military base where he was encouraged to pick up a gun and join the fighting.
But the American left after deciding he’d rather save lives than shoot at Russian soldiers–leaving just days before Russian missiles struck the base, injuring and killing almost 200 people.
After that lucky escape, Praul traveled to Lviv, where he began volunteering at an animal shelter caring for Ukraine’s four-legged war victims of war.
Some of the shelter’s residents are wild animals. Others are strays, or former pets who have been lost, orphaned or abandoned by their families.
“They have all the dogs that just come from all over the place – there are some days where they just get a huge number of animals just dumped on them,” Praul told TODAY.
Two shelter dogs were reportedly found at the train station, where they’d been left tied to a pole, with their names and ages written on scraps of paper.
After the animals are rescued, shelter partners help them get adopted in Europe or the relative safety of Western Ukraine.
“There’s a partner organization from Germany who takes them up to Poland,” said Praul. “They stay there during a quarantine period, and then they bring them to Germany to get adopted, which is awesome.”
Meanwhile, Praul is just doing his best to comfort the shelter’s growing number of four-legged war refugees. Some animals seem to be taking the fighting in stride, but others are terrified by the sounds of violence.
“The dog I have the biggest attachment to right now, she can’t go out because she doesn’t trust anyone,” Praul said. “Animals don’t have a choice in any of this — it’s human drama and the animals don’t have any say. It’s really upsetting.”
Praul will probably return to Maryland soon, but he’ll never forget this time in Ukraine, where he was recently out walking dogs while bombs and explosions sounded off in the distance.
“Some of the dogs got a little riled up for a bit, but two, three minutes after the hits I go back to the dogs and it’s just a loud noise to them,” said Praul, who found their calm attitudes reassuring.
“Their tails were wagging — they just wanted to get taken out and just wanted some love,” the American volunteer told TODAY. “I had a view of the attacks, but those dogs are just trying to enjoy their day still. They’re still trying to live.”
The Animal Rescue Site has also teamed up with Greater Good Charities to send emergency aid to Ukraine. Please make a donation to help us support Ukraine’s people and animals during this crisis.
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