NATURE: Saving The Animals of Ukraine

By Jennifer Robinson / Web Producer

Published May 9, 2024 at 10:24 AM PDT

Anastasia Lunyova and her cat Shafa outside the ruins of their former apartment building in Borodyanka, Ukraine. Shafa was rescued after 60 days stranded on the exposed 7th floor of the building.

Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV / PBS App + Encore Sunday, May 19 at 3 p.m. on KPBS TV

In the midst of violence and war, Ukrainian citizens are coming together to rescue animals that have been left behind by those forced to flee. Witness a moving view into the effects of war on animals, and the humans who help them, in NATURE "Saving the Animals of Ukraine."

NATURE: Preview of Saving the Animals of Ukraine

Directed by travel YouTube vlogger turned war correspondent Anton Ptushkin, the documentary chronicles stories of survival, love and resilience from the heart of war-torn Ukraine.

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Asya Serpinska, animal rights activist, makes her rounds at the Society for the Protection of Animals shelter near Hostomel, Ukraine.

See those rescuing cats and dogs in abandoned buildings as well as lions and tigers in the nation’s zoos, and the extraordinary efforts to bring them to safety. Hear from volunteers of the nation’s animal shelters, who are risking their own lives to care for their charges during bombardment.

NATURE: Rescuing Pets in Wartime

Meet Patron, the bomb-detecting Jack Russell Terrier who has saved countless lives, as well as Shafa, a cat in Borodyanka who becomes a symbol of hope.

NATURE: Meet Patron, the Adorable Bomb-Sniffing Dog

Filmmaker Quote:

“I never imagined I would become a war or nature documentarian, but when this war began, I was so inspired by the footage of people trying to save their pets,” said director Anton Ptushkin. “I knew I wanted to tell the story of the important relationship between the Ukrainian people and their animals. Animals have helped us cope with the stress and consequences of this war, and I’m honored to showcase their stories of resiliency alongside those of the humans rescuing them.”

Patron, the mascot for the Ukrainian State Emergency Service, poses in front of the coat of arms of Ukraine.

A stray cat peers out from the rubble of a bombed-out building in Borodyanka, Ukraine.

Watch On Your Schedule: NATURE "Saving The Animals of Ukraine" premieres Wednesday, May 15 at 8/7c on KPBS TV, pbs.org/nature, YouTube and the PBS App. PRE-ORDER the DVD

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Andrew Kushner, an American veterinarian, bottle-feeds three lion cubs before they are evacuated out of Ukraine to safety in another country.

Credits: A production of Yap Films Inc. and VSE Sam in association with The WNET Group and The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The documentary is directed, produced and filmed by Anton Ptushkin. Written by Sonja Obljubek and Serhii Lokshyn and produced by Elizabeth Trojian and Zoya Soshenko. Elliott Halpern, Elizabeth Trojian and Zoya Soshenko are executive producers. For NATURE, Fred Kaufman is executive producer, Bill Murphy is series producer and Janet Hess is series editor. NATURE is a production of The WNET Group.

Bretzel the lion, rescued from the front lines of Ukraine, is now being rehabilitated at the AAP sanctuary in Spain.

“This film is a tribute to the very best of the human spirit despite the horrors of war,” said Fred Kaufman, executive producer for NATURE. “We’re honored to showcase these stories on Nature and hope viewers are inspired by the heroes in this film and never take for granted the hope and joy that animals bring us even in the darkest of times.”

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Natalia Popova, wild animal rescuer, and her dog make their rounds at an animal shelter in the Kyiv region.