(NewsNation) — More than 40 dogs and 15 rescuers are stuck in Kyiv, Ukraine amid the Russian invasion. Some animal lovers in the country don’t want to leave behind any abandoned dogs so a rescue team, a part of the global dog rescue organization, Transform A Street Dog, is taking on the task of getting the dogs to safety.
“We did have a problem with stray animals in Ukraine, but now the number of abandoned pets have increased,” Katya Kurletz said on “Morning in America.”
She says the organization rescues abandoned pets from the streets and even homes and apartments. She said they help reunite lost dogs and provide shelter for the abandoned ones.
“This situation is that people are afraid to leave their houses because they know that Russians make no difference between military and civilians so it’s very dangerous outside,” Kurletz said.
Still, she says, “We have to help them somehow.”
“I can’t only think about myself. It gives me some sense of life if I do something for others,” Kurletz said.
Kurletz said the organization is working with European agencies for pet evacuation assistance. Currently, the organization is paying local drivers to take pets to the border, but more assistance is needed.
She says the organization needs money and volunteers to transport the animals.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the cause.