SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A Ukrainian refugee separated from her Pomeranian at the U.S.-Mexico border so the dog could complete a 28-day rabies quarantine, reunited Sunday with her dog at the San Diego Humane Society.
The dog, named Perseya, was taken to San Diego Humane Society on April 30, served her quarantine and was cared for at the Humane Society's Behavior Center, said Nina Thompson of the SDHS.
Perseya's owner was from the Cherkasy region in Ukraine. She arrived in Mexico with her husband, mother and dog and entered the United States at the San Ysidro Point of Entry, Thompson said.
In April, San Diego Humane Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention partnered to make it possible for Ukrainian refugees crossing the U.S.-Mexico border to bring their pets with them.
"Pets are family, and families should never be forced apart," said Humane Society president and CEO Gary Weitzman. "As soon as the war broke out in Ukraine, we began looking for ways to support people with pets and the animals left behind by this tragedy.
"When we heard that Ukrainian pets were getting stopped at the border -- right in our own backyard -- we immediately wanted to help. Our goal is to get these animals safely across the border and back to their families as quickly as possible. We'll do whatever we can to help the animals and people impacted by this tragic crisis."
The effort to support Ukrainian refugees entering the U.S. came a month after Weitzman deployed with Greater Good Charities to Poland on a mission to provide veterinary care and help the International Fund for Animal Welfare set up a border crossing veterinary clinic to support pets impacted by the war in Ukraine.
