Following an appeal for help on social media by Rishabh Kaushik, an Indian student refusing to leave war-hit Ukraine without his companion dog, Malibu, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) India sent an urgent letter to Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala.

They have requested that he issue an urgent no-objection certificate and ensure safe transport for both the dog and Kaushik to India.

Peta India requested that the minister ease the rules on veterinary documentation for dogs, cats, and other companion animals accompanying their human families who are seeking safe passage from Ukraine to India.

Kaushik, who studies at the Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics in eastern Ukraine, says he has reached out to the Indian government’s Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) in Delhi and the Indian embassy in Ukraine, but to no avail.

“Separating animal companions from their guardians is another tragedy for those desperately fleeing Ukraine, and it will only result in more heartbreak and unnecessary loss of life,” says Peta India Chief Executive Officer and veterinarian Dr Manilal Valliyate.

Countries bordering Ukraine including Hungary, Poland, and Romania are loosening their restrictions to make it easier for animal companions to enter other states.

Peta entities are also working to encourage other EU countries and the UK to follow suit.

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