Australian veterinarian Lachlan Campbell first arrived in Ukraine only a month after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.
At first, he planned to deliver pet food to the Polish-Ukrainian border. But soon he crossed the border and began treating the animals evacuated by Ukrainians in Lviv. Later, he traveled to Irpin and then to frontline regions. In Kramatorsk, Campbell saved an elderly dog named Baba from a military base that was attacked by drones. Within a few days, one of the soldiers who cared for her died.
On another occasion, he simply stabilized a dog that got tangled in barbed wire and lost a lot of blood. The animal is now recovering in a temporary family.
Campbell says that animals give Ukrainians support and unconditional love during times when they are experiencing extremely heavy losses.
Campbell has already returned to Ukraine four times. He takes unpaid leave, leaves his job and family in Australia, and travels for about a month to help animals.
"People and animals who live here can't leave the war. And I can come back home. The least I can do is be there and help."
Australian veterinarian Lachlan Campbell first traveled to Ukraine just one month after Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
Initially, he planned to deliver pet food to the Polish-Ukrainian border. But he soon crossed into Ukraine and began treating the pets of displaced Ukrainians in Lviv. He later traveled to Irpin and then to regions near the frontline.
In Kramatorsk, Campbell rescued Baba, an elderly dog, from a military base that was under drone attack. A few days later, one of the soldiers who had cared for her was killed.
On another occasion, he stabilized a dog on the roadside after it became trapped in razor wire and lost a significant amount of blood. The dog is now recovering in a foster home.
Campbell says that animals provide Ukrainians with support and unconditional love at a time when they are experiencing devastating loss.
Campbell has now returned to Ukraine 4 times. He takes unpaid leave, leaves his job and family in Australia, and spends around a month helping animals in Ukraine.
“The people and animals living here cannot leave the war. I get to go home. The least I can do is stand alongside them and help.”