5 days of shelling: Mariupol resident and his dog make it to Zaporizhzhia on foot and paw

Vikoria Andrieieva - Friday, 29 April 2022 A Mariupol resident and his dog walked from Mariupol to Zaporizhzhia; their journey took 5 days. Liudmyla Shvaika, a volunteer, recounts the story of the dog and its owner: "They left Mariupol at their own risk, as they had no idea what the situation was in the rest of the region and whether they would be able to cover such a distance on their feet, and paws." She added that the pair bid farewell to their own lives several times as their journey involved shelling, bad weather, and heat. At times Zhuzha the dog got too tired to walk and the man carried her in his arms. The pair were lucky to find sources of water on their way. But Ihor still sighed with relief when he and Zhuzha reached the first Ukrainian checkpoint. The man arrived at the volunteer centre exhausted and dark from the sun. Liudmyla said that after resting for a bit he stood in front of the mirror and said: "I feel at home now." Halyna Odnoroh, another volunteer, drew attention to the man's hands. After the long journey they were black with dust and dirt, cold, and small burns. The dog's condition is currently stable; she was fed and treated for parasites; her paws were also treated. "Her paw pads are worn so much it hurt to look at them, and her owner cannot believe that he has made it. That he managed. That he trusted his intuition. That they survived. That they're safe. That there are people who welcomed them as their kin," said Liudmyla. As soon as Zhuzha reached safety in Zaporizhzhia she had to be carried as she could not walk from exhaustion. The man and his trusted friend have already left Zaporizhzhia to stay with Ihor's relatives, who are already expecting them.