Ukrainian Refugee Reunites with Dog After Quarantine
A Ukrainian refugee who separated from her beloved Pomeranian at the U.S.-Mexico border in order for the dog to complete a required 28-day rabies quarantine, has been reunited with her dog. Rozaliia Raison, 24, had happy tears when she reunited with her 2 year-old dog at San Diego Humane Society on Sunday, May 29, 2022. “When I first time saw her after this long time distant between us, I felt something warm on my heart, on my soul, because this is very big part of our life, of our family,” said Raison. “I love her so much,” Raison said.
The sweet dog, named Perseya, arrived at San Diego Humane Society late on Saturday, April 30. She served her quarantine and was cared for at our Behavior Center for enrichment. During Perseya’s stay, staff provided her owner with regular updates, including a video translated into Ukrainian by a San Diego Humane Society staff member.
Perseya’s owner is from the Cherkasy region in Ukraine. She arrived in Mexico with her husband, mother and dog and entered the United States via the San Ysidro Point of Entry. “I counted every day — I tried not to think about her because it was very hard for me. I cried all the time,” said Raison. “This is the best present for me to take her back.”
In April, San Diego Humane Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 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 San Diego Humane Society president and CEO Gary Weitzman, DVM. “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. We will continue to work with the CDC and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to transport and quarantine Ukrainian pets as needed. To learn more, visit sdhumane.org/uadogs.
Published: May 29, 2022
