ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine, April 14 (Reuters) – A “remedy canine” is offering some sorely wanted consolation and leisure for traumatised Ukrainian kids displaced by the conflict raging of their nation.
On the “Dr. Doc” remedy centre within the southern Ukrainian metropolis of Zaporizhzhia, the children are invited to stroke Evsei, a pleasant spaniel, shake his paw and play video games with him, whereas volunteers sing and dance to entertain all of them.
“It is vital for them as a result of the kid’s psyche may be very weak to the conflict occurring now… Some kids are very scared — we carry them out of this state,” stated Olga Pivtoratska, 22, one of many volunteers.
“We assist them adapt to the truth of Zaporizhzhia, which is quiet. There aren’t any explosions right here,” she added.
Close by are piles of garments and different humanitarian help for the refugees, a lot of whom have come from extra jap areas of Ukraine the place the majority of the combating between Ukrainian and Russian forces is presently going down.
Alyona Serdyuk, the top of the centre and a baby psychologist, stated the volunteers taken care of the youngsters whereas their mother and father acquired registered earlier than transferring on to extra everlasting new properties.
“Our important activity is to stabilize the youngsters, assist them deal with a very annoying state of affairs. Right here the youngsters can play, sing, draw, play with our canine. In the event that they want psychological assist, we work individually as properly,” Serdyuk advised Reuters.
One refugee, Daniil Savchenko, 20, cradled his pug canine Milo as he recounted his flight from Russian-occupied Berdiansk along with his mom.
“(Milo) is unquestionably scared as a result of even a small motion to the vet, which takes like 10 minutes in our native metropolis, is a really massive stress for him…,” he stated.
“I might truly go to (be a part of) the military if it weren’t for my mother as a result of I do not need her to must dwell with out me,” he stated, as his mom, in tears, kissed and stroked Milo.
Reporting by Reuters TV
Writing by Gareth Jones
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