From Ukraine with Love; Crossing Borders to Rescue Displaced Cats From War | SOP ep. 10 - Shana Aufenkamp

This episode is dear to our hearts, committed to the people of Ukraine and the suffering that has been caused due to the Russian invasion of their country. Their “pet families” have also been traumatized and displaced – this episode is about the heroes that help save these animals. If you are interested in learning more about these organizations that help rescue animals both in the United States and in Ukraine, contact them @https://www.homewardtrails.org/ and @https://breakingthechainsinternational.org/. Join hosts Alice and Janet as they sit down with Shana Aufenkamp, an extraordinary individual based in Washington, D.C., who has dedicated her life to both international development and animal rescue. With 20 years of experience in international development, predominantly in Russian-speaking countries, Shana’s passion for advocacy extends to the welfare of animals, particularly cats. When the conflict in Ukraine erupted in 2022, Shana witnessed the heartbreaking plight of families forced to flee, leaving behind their beloved pets. Motivated by compassion, she became involved with Breaking the Chains International, a British organization dedicated to providing aid to animals in crisis. Shana’s efforts have resulted in the rescue of 50 cats from Ukraine, with plans to bring back 14 more on her next trip. In this episode, Shana shares her experiences navigating the complexities of transporting rescue animals across borders, from driving cats across the Romanian border to coordinating flights to the United States. She discusses the challenges of reuniting pets with their owners amidst conflict and the importance of microchipping for international travel. @https://www.homewardtrails.org/ @https://breakingthechainsinternational.org/. Support our sponsor for this episode Blue Buffalo by visiting bluebuffalo.com. BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet formulas offer the natural alternative in nutritional therapy. At Blue Buffalo, we have an in-house Research & Development (R&D) team with over 300 years’ experience in well-pet and veterinary therapeutic diets, over 600 scientific publications, and over 50 U.S. patents. At Blue Buffalo, we have an in-house Research & Development (R&D) team with over 300 years’ experience in well-pet and veterinary therapeutic diets, over 600 scientific publications, and over 50 U.S. patents. All footage owned by SLA Video Productions