Shelter bombing left dog’s soul crushed

For nearly a month, Tymon was just curled up into a tiny ball of fear – too afraid to even walk.

The 10-year-old was so traumatised when he arrived with charity Save the Dogs in Cernavodă, Romania, that he had to be physically carried to the garden for time outdoors.

He was one of 30 homeless dogs saved from an animal shelter severely damaged by a Russian bomb in the war-torn city of Odessa, Ukraine, in March.

The attack itself must have been terrifying for all the people and pets involved, but it was the panicked aftermath and 15-hour journey to safety that had totally crushed poor Tymon’s soul.

His main carer, Davide Cellina, explains: “He’s not the biggest of the dogs but he came to us in the smallest carrier I’ve ever seen a dog in. He was basically sandwiched in the cage and the front and back part of his body were outside of it. 

“He was very traumatised when he got to the [Save the Dogs] shelter. The job we have done is to basically build a relationship with him because he was very scared.”

Davide continues: “The main thing we did was to spend some quality time with him. I used to bring him to the playground two times a day, by carrying him, as he was not ready to walk and was too scared to be on the lead.”

Poor Tymon remained completely shut down, but after three weeks the team saw a glimmer of hope.

“I went into his room and when he saw me, he started wagging his tail a little bit. It was just a small movement, but it was very beautiful to see because I knew that what we were doing was working,” says Davide.

“And from then, he was wagging his tail and started coming over to me, so every day from that point was better.”

But the real turning point for Tymon came when he was paired with another dog. 

For a month, he had been devoid of canine company due to strict quarantine rules, but meeting friend Zara gave him the confidence to put one paw in front of the other again. 

“It was like a switch turning on in him,” says Davide. “He was very closed off emotionally and now he’s another dog. By giving him time and patience, he has come a long way.”

Tymon’s rehabilitation was made possible by donations to the Blue Cross Ukraine Pet Welfare Fund, which has also paid for the care of 10 other dogs from the same, bombed-out shelter.

Funds raised by Blue Cross for the pets of Ukraine are also going towards vital food deliveries to the starving dogs and cats left behind on the streets of the war-ravaged country. 

Our support has already paid for two large emergency tents to store supplies in, as well as two vehicles to transport them to the brave volunteers risking their own lives to make sure that no pet goes hungry.

Country Director of Save the Dogs in Romania, Gregg Tully, says: ”During the intense attacks, many feeders stay in shelters and bunkers, while others risk their lives and go out to feed the numerous starving cats and dogs. 

“Our partners stay in touch with us to report the latest news, despite shortages of electricity, internet, and water. I’m relieved that we’ve heard from all of them, although they aren't saying much, partly because they can't charge their phones.

"The most common reply is: "We're safe for today, and let’s hope the best for tomorrow.”  

“Because of Blue Cross’s invaluable support, our partners and volunteers across the country are helping as many animals as they can.

"Save the Dogs has sent 264 tons of food to keep the animals of Ukraine alive. Sadly, it’s not enough, as the number of mouths to feed keeps increasing by the day.”